Good Counsel
by Tari Tinuviel
Summary: Eliza first stumbled into Narnia at the age of 10, from that moment her very being becomes tied to it, and she realizes she doesn't need to be royal to care for its fate, she just has to know how to give good council. Rating for future and possible violence and gore. Eventual Caspian/OC in the future.
1. Chapter 1: The Very Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

Gah, I know I shouldn't be starting a new story, but I really couldn't help it, and since I have this thing where I prefer to work in 3's I think it will be better for my writing productivity.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think with this chapter, I generally would love to know what readers think about my writing style, and if there is anything that is glaringly wrong that I might have overlooked.

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_'June 27th, 1769._

I take my family to my mother-land England where perhaps we can start anew after the life we have left in the Colonies. My daughter is unhappy, but it cannot be helped, I am forced to return in the wake of my Father's passing so that I may manage his estate and the business he left behind, my wife cannot contain her joy as she returns to see her mother and father.

Alas, it is Eliza that complains, though she is at the young age of 10, she does not want to leave her friends and life. Yet it cannot be helped. The New World was a good idea while it lasted.'

Jonathan Goodly ran a weary hand over his tired face; his grey eyes scanned his book as he placed his pen down and then shut it. The crossing to England was never easy, it seemed like every time he did it his wife Elizabeth was pregnant. She was currently in bed trying her best not to vomit.

The difference this time was his daughter Eliza, with her big brown eyes and light brown hair, and the scowl that was on her round face. She detested the crossing, but could see her childish fascination with how everything worked. He put his hands on his hips as he got up and walked about, he could hear his wife sleeping, her breath ragged and weary even as she slumbered.

It was all too much for him, the death of his father… returning to England… and the fact that his daughter was becoming opinionated, he missed the days when he was her biggest hero.

He walked out of the room and spotted her with the Captain, a jolly man who was a close family friend, he was teaching her how to sword-fight with a cutlass that looked like it belonged to the Cabin boy, a scrawny boy with big green eyes and dirty blonde hair who was sitting on a barrel laughing as he watched the girl's progress.

He had to admit she was a fast learner. A bit too fast for his liking. He leaned against the rail and watched as she sparred with the Captain. "Daddy! Look at what I can do!" She called out excitedly.

"You are marvelous, darling." He called back with a smile.

She laughed happily as she continued to spar with him but pouted when her sword flew out of her hand.

The Captain laughed loudly. "Don't worry about it, squirt." He said. "If you practice then maybe one day you'll be as good as I am!" He gestured to Jonathan. "Or even as good as your father!"

"Daddy? Good at sword fighting?" She sounded skeptic. "He's always sensible!"

Jonathan put a hand to his heart. "Ouch, sensible am I?" He said.

"Hear that Jon?"

"I sure do, Dan." He said.

The Captain marched right up to Eliza. "Your dad was the greatest swordsman in the Caribbean and the Atlantic at some point." He said.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

Daniel looked to Jonathan and tossed him a sword. "Let's spar old friend."

"I'll fight you for my honor!" Jonathan said, drawing a giggle from Eliza.

He smiled happily as he sparred with the Captain and saw admiration creep into the doe-like eyes of his daughter.

Once he had won, Eliza ran to him. "Daddy, you teach me how to sword-fight!"

"I don't know…" He said.

She pouted. "Please?"

"Now what would you need to know how to sword fight for?" He asked her.

She put her hands on her hips. "Father, you never know when one needs to know how to sword-fight." She said.

He looked at her and sighed. "That is a very grown up think to say."

"I am growing up." She said proudly.

"That's what I'm afraid of." He teased.

Days later they entered the house Jonathan grew up in. His mother, Lady Wilhelmina Goodly, was an aged woman who loved her granddaughter greatly. "Eliza." She said happily as the child ran into her arms.

"Granny!" She said.

Jonathan and Elizabeth smiled as they let the footmen carry in their things. "Come with me, Eliza." Wilhelmina said as she used her cane to walk. "I wish to show you something."

The girl followed her grandmother as they walked outside. Jonathan turned to his wife and kissed her forehead. "Why don't you go upstairs and rest?" He asked. "I have a letter I need to send."

She nodded and walked up the stairs before vanishing into the room they had stayed in many times before. He walked to the study and then began to write a letter to Lord Henry Pevensie, his business associate, and his father's former business partner, now his.

Once he had finished writing the letter he called for the errand boy, young Timothy Andrews, a skinny boy with a pale face that was dotted with freckles. "Take this to Lord Pevensie, understood?"

"Yes sir." He said and then ran off.

Jonathan got up and then went to find his mother and daughter. He found them sitting in the garden, just beyond the garden there was a woods, the same woods he grew up in and had many a good memory within them.

He walked outside and heard his mother telling Eliza a story, the same one she told him. "It is said that only the worthy could hear him… in the forest… calling out to them."

"But why?" She asked. "Why does he call out to only the worthy?"

"If you had a Kingdom." She said. "Would you let in just about anyone?"

"Well… of course not." Eliza said.

"There you go." Wilhelmina said. "That is why."

"Until you grow up." Jonathan said. "And these stories matter not."

"Said by a true adult." Wilhelmina said.

Jonathan smiled. "Mother, you are so young at heart."

"Can I play in the woods?" Eliza asked.

"Maybe not today." Jonathan replied. "How about you rest today and tomorrow I'll allow you to venture into the woods?"

She nodded and ran off. Jonathan let out a sigh. "Mother, please don't fill her head with mindless stories –"

"They are not mindless." She replied. "It is very normal for a child her age to have an active imagination."

"But when you were her age you were gallivanting with Pirates." He said.

"And a good life it was." She got up. "You would not know half the things you do if it weren't for that!"

Jonathan let out a sigh. "Mother…"

"No, listen here, Johnny." She said gently. "Your daughter might as well be the one –"

"No, she isn't." He said.

"And how are you so sure?" She asked.

"Mother, Narnia – is not real! It is a land you thought up of when you were ill." He said.

"Hold your tongue boy." She said. "It is real."

"No, mother… it isn't real." He said. "And I do not want my daughter chasing Lions and Fairytales. Unlike me, she would not be able to handle the disappointment when she does not find herself in the company of the 'Great Lion.'"

Wilhelmina let out a small sigh as she shook her head. "Oh Johnny…" She stared at the woods. "If only you knew…"

She hid behind the tree, clutching her sword tightly in her hand, she was breathing heavily. She heard crashing in the distance. "I have to do this!" She whispered to herself. "No one else is going to keep the kingdom safe but me!" She declared and she ran out from her hiding spot. "FOR ASLAN!" She yelled out as she attacked the 100 ft. Dragon that was stomping through the woods.

It swiped its tail at her, she threw herself back to duck; she then rolled to the side to avoid its flames. "YOU'LL NEVER CRUSH ME!" She declared loudly as she stabbed at the Dragon's knees, it took off into the sky; she shrieked and ducked as it flew too close to her. She let out a relieved sigh as it flew away. "Phew. It's gone!" She said as she jumped up and then dusted herself off. She stuck her sword into her belt and then walked off to make sure the Kingdom was not harmed.

As she walked a Centaur bowed to her. "My Lady, you have saved us once again." He said.

"And I will do it again!" She replied as she marched deeper into the kingdom.

Three Fairies flitted past her. "Queen Eliza! You have saved us once more!"

"All in a day's work!" She said proudly.

The castle loomed closer into view.

Elizabeth stood by the door and let out a sigh, her daughter was playing pretend again, her hair had leaves in it and her dress was filthy, that was the third dress that week. They couldn't afford to keep buying her new dresses. "Eliza!" She called out.

The girl noticed her mother standing there. "Mummy!" She called out happily. "I defeated the dragon!"

"You and your imagination." She said. "Up you go, it's time for a bath."

"But I still haven't vanquished the Ogre!"

She shook her head and smiled. "You'll have to save the kingdom some other day Queen Eliza." She said. "Now it is bath time before dinner."

"Fine." She said as she pulled the stick out from her skirt before running into the house.

Wilhelmina had been watching with an amused smile. It had been such a long time since she had seen a child with an imagination like her granddaughter's.

It was bedtime for Eliza; she was jumping on the bed singing on the top of her lungs about Fairies, Knights, and Dragons. Elizabeth found that she didn't have the strength to deal with the girl anymore; she sat on a chair and just watched with a small smile. She waved her arms about and then she landed on the bed. "Mum, do you know what I will do first thing when I am Queen?" She asked.

"What?"

"I will make you Queen." She said with a big smile. "And the baby will be a prince, and Daddy – he will be High King! Just like in Granny's story!" She threw herself back and let out a happy and content sigh. "I love England."

"So you don't miss Virginia?" She asked.

"Nope." She replied.

"Good… now it is time for bed." She said as she got up, seeing her daughter had finally settled down. She tucked her into bed and then sat down as she stared down at Eliza who was now playing with the strings of her nightgown. "Eliza?" She asked.

"Yes mum?" She asked as she looked up at her mother who was smiling lovingly down at her.

"Never grow up?" She said.

"But, mum, I want to grow up!" She said, wrinkling her nose at the thought of not growing up.

Elizabeth smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead. "It isn't as fun as you think it is." She said gently. "Soon you'll find that you have to leave – what is that world of yours called again?"

"Narnia." She said.

"Soon you will have to leave Narnia, and I can tell you this… being a grown-up? It's very boring." She ran her hands through her daughter's hair.

Eliza watched her mother. "Why are you sad?" She asked quietly.

Elizabeth smiled gently. "Grown-ups aren't always happy." She replied.

"Well you should be." She said.

"And why is that?" She asked with a grin.

"Because if you're sad… who is going to be High Queen?" Eliza asked.

She laughed quietly and curled up beside her daughter on the bed. "Why don't you tell me one of your stories, maybe it will make me happy."

Eliza stuck out her bottom lip a bit and then smiled. "Okay! I have one!"

Wilhelmina stood by the door as she listened to her Granddaughter weaving stories only a child her age could. When she peaked in after silence had fallen she saw that both mother and daughter had fallen asleep.

The child stirred sometime in the middle of the night, she saw her mother was still fast asleep. She could hear noises outside… like someone calling her name.

Slowly she snuck out of bed, careful not to wake her mother as she pulled on her dressing down and then she shoved her feet into her boots before quietly creeping down the hall. She looked behind her to make sure no one was following her before she ran out of the house. The air was chilly; she pulled her red dressing gown closer to her body before she ran into the woods.

The voice was calling her, just like her Grandmother said it would. She ran into the woods excitedly, knowing an adventure would await her.

Elizabeth woke up with a start. She noticed the bed beside her was empty. "ELIZA!" She shrieked out.

Jonathan and Wilhelmina ran in. "What is it?" They yelled.

"She's gone!"

Jonathan glared at his mother a bit harshly before running out of the house. "ELIZA!" He yelled. "ELIZA!"

He ran into the woods only to find her curled up at the base of a tree, sleeping peacefully with a smile on her face. Angrily he woke her up; she rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she looked up at him. "What do you think you were doing?" He asked harshly.

"I heard him, daddy, I heard Aslan!" She said.

"There is NO such think as Aslan!" He yelled at her as he shook her by her shoulders. "Eliza you are too old to be doing things like this! You terrified your mother and almost killed her!"

She fell silent.

"Grow up." He said. "It is time you grew up!"

She frowned and tears welled in her eyes. He got up and grasped her hand as they marched back to the house.


	2. Chapter 2: It IS real!

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

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The following days Eliza was more subdued, taking to sitting in the garden and just staring at her feet as she swung them.

Elizabeth watched her daughter sadly from the sitting room as she repaired her stockings. Wilhelmina walked into the room and then let out a sigh. "Is she still out there?"

"Yes." She replied.

"He has no idea what he has done." Wilhelmina said as she sat down.

"It's like he can't remember all those days we spent in the woods as children…" She said quietly. "How we met… That world that he and I made up."

"That is the problem with growing up." Wilhelmina said gently. "You forget what it meant to be a child."

Outside Eliza stopped swinging her feet as a cold breeze caressed her cheek. She looked up curiously. She got up and slowly walked into the woods.

She could smell… something cold – something she had never seen before. She followed her nose as she began to jog through the woods. Before long the trees were unfamiliar, they were taller and did not grow as thick as they did in her woods. She stopped and felt something hit her nose gently.

She looked up and let out a gasp, it was snowing! She walked on and the more she did the whiter the ground got, she ran and saw the land was coated with white. She let out a happy laugh as she ran on the ice, only letting out a surprised cry when she slid down the hill only to hit a Lamppost.

She looked up at it, and then back from where she came and saw that her woods were gone. "I'm not imagining it." She said. "I'm not." She got up and heard laughter.

More children like her!

She ran off in their direction only to stop to a halt, there were four children; only one of them looked her age.

"Are you a Narnian, too?" The youngest asked as she looked at Eliza.

They were all dressed so strangely to her, at least the girls were, they were wearing dresses that went to their knees; she had never seen anything like it. "What's a Narnian?" She asked.

"I don't think she is, Lu." The oldest boy said.

"Then, where did she come from?" The oldest girl said.

"From my home, of course." She said. "Where did you come from?"

"Through the Wardrobe in the Spare Room!" The girl that was her age cried out happily. "Do you want a coat too? It's cold!"

"Coat?" Eliza said as she walked up to them and saw rows of fur coats. "Does that go to your home?" She asked curiously.

"Well, it's not really our home." The girl said. "But yes."

The oldest boy began to pull out coats as he handed them around, Eliza took one as she shrugged it on, it was long but warm.

"I'm Lucy, by the way." The youngest girl said.

"I'm Eliza." She replied with a grin. She had never felt so excited in her life!

"These are my brothers and sister: Peter, Edmund, and Susan!"

"Nice to meet you all." Eliza said politely. "Can I go with you?" She asked.

"Of course you can! We're going to see Mr. Tumnus, he has Sardines!" Lucy said.

Eliza balked a bit. "Sardines?"

"Don't you like Sardines?" Peter asked teasingly.

She frowned. "Not exactly." She said in response.

"Well, come along then, he also has tea." Lucy said.

"I do like tea." Eliza grinned.

Edmund was grumbling in the back as they trudged through the snow. Lucy was happily telling Eliza about her three times into Narnia and what she did every time.

Peter and Susan, however, were discussing their newest companion. "She can't be from out world." Peter said.

"Or maybe just not our time." Susan offered. "Didn't mum say she had dresses like that?"

"I wouldn't know." Peter said.

"Well she does, in a trunk in Finchley." She replied. "Said they belong to Gran."

"Are you saying…" He started.

Lucy was explaining to Eliza what she had at Mr. Tumnus' the last time she was in Narnia. "Sardines, and cakes, and biscuits, and this yummy cheese –"

"I like cheese!" Eliza said.

She did, she really did.

"… And tea –" They saw a house in the mountain wall; the door looks like it's broken. Both girls looked at each other and then at the house before they ran to it.

"LUCY!" Peter yelled out.

Both girls ran into the house, and Lucy looked around. "Who would do something like this?" She asked.

Eliza picked up a flute that looked like something out of a book she had once read. "Someone very nasty." She replied.

"What's that on the wall?" Susan asked.

Both girls turned and found a paper on the wall, Peter took it down and began to read off it. "The Former occupant of these premises, the Faun Tumnus, is under arrest and awaiting his trial on a charge of High Treason against her imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, also to comforting her said Majesty's enemies, harboring spies and fraternizing with Humans. Signed Maugrim, captain of the Secret Police… Long live the Queen."

"What does… Chatelaine mean?" Eliza asked the older siblings.

"Someone responsible for a big house." Susan replied. She then looked at her brother. "Now we should really go."

"But we have to help him!" Lucy cried out, Eliza nodded her head, agreeing with her new friend.

"It's out of our hands now Lu." Peter said.

Lucy frowned. "You don't get it do you? I'm the human! He helped ME!"

"Maybe we should call the police…?" Peter asked.

"These are the police!" Susan cried out.

"Besides, he's a criminal!" Edmund put in.

"I don't want to grow up if growing up means not doing the right thing." Eliza said finally.

"Don't worry Lucy, we'll think of something…" Peter said.

All of a sudden they heard a 'psst!'

Susan blinked as she found the source of the sound, it was a robin perched just outside the window. "Did that bird just 'psst' us?"

They ran outside and Eliza saw an animal she had never seen before.

"It's a beaver!" Lucy said.

Peter inched forward as he held out his hand while clicking his tongue softly. "Her, boy… come here…"

"Well I ain't gonna smell it if that's what you want!" The Beaver yelled out.

Lucy giggled and Eliza was shocked.

"It's a talking beaver!" He exclaimed.

"Lucy Pevensie?" He said.

She instantly sobered up, how did this beaver know her? "Yes?" She asked.

He held out her handkerchief

Lucy reached for it. "This is the handkerchief I gave to Mr. –"

"Tumnus." The beaver nodded. "He gave it to me just before they took him."

Eliza crouched down to stare at the beaver as he spoke to Lucy, she had never seen anything like him before.

"Is he alright?" Lucy asked.

"Further in." He replied as he began to scurry off. Lucy grabbed Eliza's hand as they began to follow him.

"Peter, we don't know what you are doing." Susan said as she stopped her brother.

"She's right." Edmund agreed. "How do we know we can trust this beaver?"

"He say's he knows the faun." Peter shrugged.

"He's a beaver...he shouldn't be saying anything!" Susan said.

Eliza giggled a bit at their exchange.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Beaver asked.

"Yes, we're just talking." Peter replied.

"That's better left for safer corners." Mr. Beaver said.

"He means the trees." Lucy said.

"I don't understand." Eliza said.

Lucy began to explain to her about Narnia, the White Witch, and the Hundred Years of Winter.

"You mean, one hundred years without Christmas?" Eliza asked. "That's impossible!"

"But it's true!" Lucy said. "Mr. Tumnus told me so!"

After a while of walking they got to a dam. Mr. Beaver looked on proudly. "There is home sweet home."

"Oh, what a beautiful dam Mr. Beaver." Lucy said, Eliza agreed with an excited smile.

"Merely a trifle." He replied.

Eliza wondered if beavers could blush, because she thought he would be – or rather she knew that if she was in his spot she would be blushing madly at the complement.

"Is that you Beaver? I find out you've been out with Badger again I'll..." A female voice called out, soon another beaver exited the dam, and Eliza assumed this was probably Mrs. Beaver. "Oh, they're not Badgers. I never thought I would see this day…" She then smacked Mr. Beaver in the stomach. "You couldn't give me ten minutes warning...look at this fur." She started to smooth her fur down.

"I would have given you a week if I thought it would help." Mr. Beaver said with a chuckle.

Eliza and Lucy grinned up at the older children.

"Well you must be cold and hungry. Let's get you inside for some food and civilized conversation." Mrs. Beaver said.

It was a tight fit, but somehow they were all able to fit inside the den. Eliza looked around and liked how homey it was and was reminded of her grandmother. Peter took her coat and hung it by the fire to dry as they all found spots to sit. "Fish and Sticks, dear?" Mrs. Beaver offered to Lucy and then Eliza, they both politely declined.

"Is there nothing we can do about Mr. Tumnus?" Peter asked them.

"Well… there's hope!" Mrs. Beaver said.

"Yeah, there's a load full of hope... Aslan is on the move." Mr. Beaver said.

Aslan, Eliza knew that name well… from the stories her Grandmother told her.

"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asked.

The beavers laugh a bit and then realize that they were serious. Mr. Beaver looked at them. "Aslan...you silly little blighter...you don't know do you?"

"Well we haven't actually been here very long…" Peter said.

"He's only the king the whole wood, the true king of Narnia... and he's waiting for you!" Mr. Beaver said as he looked around at them.

"Waiting for us?" Lucy asked.

Mr. Beaver slammed his hands on the table. "You got to be joking! Look, Aslan's return, Tumnus' arrest...the secret police! They're all happening because of you!"

"You're blaming us?" Susan asked, her voice conveying incredulity.

"Not blaming you dear, thanking you." Mrs. Beaver replied.

"There's...a prophecy, When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits in if Cair Paravel in throne the evil is over and done." Mr. Beaver said.

"You know that doesn't really rhyme." Susan said.

"I know, but you're missing the point!" Mr. Beaver said.

Mrs. Beaver put her hand on her husband's arm. "It's long been told that two sons of Adam and two daughters of Eve will appear to defeat the White Witch, and restore peace to Narnia."

"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asked.

Eliza fell silent as she sipped the tea that Mrs. Beaver had made. Where did she fit in? If Narnia only needed two boys and two girls… where did she fit in?

She finally spoke up when Lucy asked about Mr. Tumnus. "But… where do I fit in?"

Everyone fell silent as they looked at her.

"You said… Two Sons of Adam and Two Daughters of Eve… then… what am I doing here?" She frowned.

"We don't know yet." Mrs. Beaver said. "But Aslan doesn't forget anyone…"

"We should get going." Peter said. "Ed, time to go – Ed?" He glanced around the room. "I'm going to _kill_him!"

"You may not have to... Has Edmund been to Narnia before?" Mr. Beaver said.

They all ran outside to catch up to Edmund. "Hurry up!" Peter said.

They got to the top of the hill and spotted Edmund running into the massive castle that stood, nestled between two mountains. "EDMUND!" Lucy called out.

"Shh! They'll hear ya!" Mr. Beaver yelled out, he grabbed Peter by his sleeve as he tried to run off after his brother.

"Get off me!" Peter yelled. "We can't just let him go!"

"Don't you get it? He's the bait! She wants all of ya in there! To kill ya!" Mr. Beaver yelled up at him.

"This is all your fault! None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!" Susan yelled at her brother.

"So you knew this would happen?" He practically snarled.

"Stop fighting!" Eliza cried out and they all looked at her. Lucy came up to her side and nodded.

"This fighting isn't going to help Edmund." The youngest Pevensie said.

"She's right. Only Aslan can save him now." Mr. Beaver said.

Peter looked at the castle and then back at the Beaver. "Then take us to him."


	3. Chapter 3: Running

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

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They all begin to pack their things up until they heard a howl. "What is that?" Eliza asked as they all fell silent.

Mr. Beaver's eyes widened. "Hurry."

They began to move around in a half frenzied state. Another howl made them fall silent. "Hurry Mum, they are after us!" Mr. Beaver said. "You! Little girl!" He pointed to Eliza. "Help me now."

She obeyed as they moved things out of the way to reveal a tunnel, he handed her a lantern as the others packed things with Mrs. Beaver.

"What is she doing?" Susan asked.

"Don't worry, you'll thank you me later. it's a long journey and a beaver gets cranky when he's hungry." Mrs. Beaver said.

"I'M CRANKY NOW!" He bellowed.

"Do you think we should bring jam?" Susan asked.

"Only if the Witch has toast." Peter replied.

He jumped into the tunnel with Eliza. "Lead us through." He told her.

The child nodded and ran alongside Mr. Beaver. As they ran Lucy tripped and fell, they all stopped for a moment and then held their breaths as they heard howling.

"They're in the tunnel." She said in horror.

"Quickly." Eliza said. They ran quickly until they hit a dead end.

"You should have brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver scolded her husband.

"There was no room next to the jam!" He replied and then led them through a hole. Once they were out Peter and Eliza moved a frozen barrel of water top block the hole, Eliza then packed snow around it to make it difficult to move.

Eliza turned to see stone animals.

"This is what happened to the enemies of the White Witch." A Fox said as he appeared.

"Stand still there traitor." Mr. Beaver yelled.

"Relax, I'm one of the good guys." The Fox said.

"Well you look mighty like one of the bad guys."

"An unfortunate family resemblance, but we can discuss family breeding later right now we need to move." Fox said.

"What do you suggest?" Peter asked.

The Fox looked up and so did Eliza. "The trees." She said. "Let's climb!"

The Fox nodded and Eliza instantly scaled the tree, she held her hand out as Peter lifted Lucy up into the tree before he and Susan followed with the Beavers.

Eliza watched what transpired below as Wolves scrabbled their way out through the packed snow. She noticed the talking animals were larder than normal not talking ones.

"Evening gents, did we lose something?" The Fox asked lightly.

"Don't patronize me Fox, I know where your allegiance lies." The Wolf barked. "We are looking for some humans."

"Humans in Narnia, now that's some valuable information." The Fox replied.

"Where are they?" The Head Wolf yelled at Fox. He then attacked the Fox, grabbing them in their jaws. Eliza has to clamp her hands over her mouth to keep herself from yelling out.

Fox hung his head helplessly and then let out a sigh. "… North… they went North…"

Eliza tore fabric from her skirt silently and then she wrapped it around a cone before throwing it as far as she could North.

"Quickly, smell them out." The Head Wolf said before they cast aside Fox.

Once they were gone Eliza climbed further up into the tree to see if they were truly gone, she then climbed down and nodded. "It's safe."

They all quickly climbed down; Eliza hung from the last branch before jumping down. "Are you alright?" Lucy asked.

Eliza went to looking for dry wood, she found that was difficult to do when everywhere was snowy, but she eventually found some that they could burn. She then ran back to the others and Peter helped her make a fire. "Where do you know how to do this?" He asked.

"When we lived in the Colonies my father used to take me camping…"

"… Colonies…"

"I'm from Jamestown." She said with a grin. "But we moved to England…"

"What year?" He asked.

"1769." She replied.

"1769…" He said quietly.

"What year are you from?" She asked.

"… 1940."

She stared at him with an understanding grin. "That why your clothes are so weird! You are from the future!" She said as she watched him light the fire.

Before long they were boiling water to clean Fox's bite. Eliza was making a small snowman as they heard Mrs. Beaver tend to him. "Stop Squirming! You're worse than Beaver on bath day!"

"Worst day of the year." He said, making the children giggle.

Fox got up and then let out a sigh. "Well I am afraid that is all the healing I have time for."

"You're leaving?" Susan asked.

"It has been a pleasure my Queen. I have been asked by Aslan himself to gather more troops." Fox replied.

"You've seen Aslan!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed.

"What's he like?" Mrs. Beaver asked.

"Like… everything we have ever heard and more… He'll be a good help fighting the White Witch."

"We're not planning to fight any Witch." Susan said.

"Surely King Peter…"

"We just want to get our brother back." Peter said.

"I want to fight." Eliza said and they all looked at her.

"But you're just a kid…" Susan said.

"So?" She asked. "My father taught me how to fight with a sword." She said proudly. "I'm not afraid of no witch."

The Fox chuckled. "You are a brave one; I don't doubt that someday you will give great counsel." He bowed to them. "As for now, I take my leave." And with that he ran off.

They remained seated; Eliza curled up in a ball as she wrapped the coat around her. They did not leave until the following morning.

After a meager breakfast of toast and jam the group got up and began trudging away from their makeshift camp. They walked with half asleep and half frozen legs to a stone bridge where they looked at a barren land full of ice and snow. "Now Aslan's camp is just over there by the stone table just across the frozen river." Mrs. Beaver pointed out.

"River?" Susan asked.

"It's been frozen for 100 years." Mrs. Beaver replied.

"It seems so far…" Peter said.

"It's the world; dear… did you expect it to be small?" Mrs. Beaver asked.

"Smaller…"

Eliza used to pride herself at being a fast runner, but all this snow was making it hard to do so, especially since she could hardly feel her feet in her boots, they were very cold and very miserable.

"Come on, before we're old!" Mr. Beaver said.

Peter huffed as he grabbed Lucy's hand. "If he tells me to Hurry up one more time I'm going to turn him into a big fluffy hat."

Lucy and Eliza giggled. "I doubt he'd be very warm then… he'll probably yell at us then too." Eliza quipped.

"Hurry up Son-of-Adam! We don't have all day." Mr. Beaver yelled.

"He is getting kind of bossy." Lucy admitted.

As they continued to run they could hear bells. "It's her! RUN!" Mr. Beaver yelled.

Peter grasped Eliza's hand as he pulled both her and Lucy as they ran, both girls could hardly keep up as they dove behind a big rock. Susan dove in beside her siblings and the Beavers were on Eliza's lap, they were all huffing and puffing, trying to be as silent as they possibly could.

After a while Lucy spoke up very silently. "Maybe she's gone." She whispered.

"I'll go have a look." Peter said.

"No." Mr. Beaver said. "You're no good to Narnia dead!"

"Neither are you, Beaver!" Mrs. Beaver said.

"Thank you dear." Beaver said.

"I'll go with you." Eliza said. "I'm not important to Narnia like they are."

Mr. Beaver looked at her for a long pause before nodding. "You can run faster than me." He climbed onto her back as she crept out.

Her eyes widened when she saw what awaited them. The sleigh was unlike anything she had ever seen – and yet like everything she imagined, there were reindeer, and a man with a white beard in red robes with a gentle smile on his face. Her face lit up as she walked closer to him. "You're real!" She said happily.

"Yes, dear Eliza." He said. "Mr. Beaver – why don't you call your hiding friends?" He asked.

"Certainly sir!" He said and then scurried off.

Eliza was fascinated. "Father told me you weren't real!" She said.

"Oh I am." He said with a smile. "It has been a while… but I am real."

She giggled and then turned as Lucy turned to join Eliza. "Merry Christmas, sir!" She greeted happily.

"It certainly is, Lucy. Thanks to you." Father Christmas said happily.

"I thought there was not Christmas in Narnia…" Susan said.

"It hasn't been for a hundred years. But now the Witch's power is crumbling." He grabbed the big red bad that was in the sleigh with him .

"Presents!" Eliza and Lucy cried out happily.

"Lucy, Eve's Daughter." He started as he pulled out a glass bottle that was very pretty looking, and a dagger. "These are for you. The juice of the fire flower. If you or one of your friends are wounded one drop of this cordial will restore them." He said as he motioned to the pretty phial. He then held out the dagger. "And though I do not expect you to use it, this."

"Well, I think I could be brave enough." Lucy said. Looking a bit unsure herself.

"I'm sure you could. But battles are ugly affairs." He said with the shake of his head. He then returned to the back before turning to Susan. "Eve's daughter Susan. Trust in this bow, for it does not easily miss." He said as he handed her a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

"What happened to, 'battles are ugly affairs?'" She questioned, making Father Christmas chuckle a bit.

"And, though you don't seem to have trouble making yourself heard, this." He handed her a horn. "When you put this horn to your lips and blow it, wherever you are, help will come."

"Thanks." She said.

From the bag he pulled a shield and sword and then he handed them over to Peter. "And, Peter. These are tools, not toys. The time to use them may be soon at hand."

Eliza put her hands behind her back, secretly hoping that she too would receive something as she tried to not look envious at the fact that Father Christmas himself gave them presents.

"Do not worry, Eliza, I have not forgotten you." He said with a chuckle. From his bag he pulled out two things, a leather bound book. "Because sometimes the pen is so much stronger then the blade." He said as he crouched down to look at her. "And you have the ability to tell stories unlike anyone else… it is your gift." He gave her the book. He then handed her a necklace, the pendant was a ruby the size of her thumb within the depths there was what looked like a small flame. "This is to remind you that where ever you are, in the depth of your despair, Aslan is always with you."

She nodded as he fastened the gold chain about her neck. She hugged the book to her chest, he handed her a leather pouch to put the book in, she then fastened it to her back.

"Bare them well! I best be off, winter is almost over and things do pile up when you've been gone a thousand years." He said as he stepped into the Sleigh once more after putting the bag back in its place. "Long live Aslan!" He said before leaving.

"Bye... Merry Christmas!" The children cried out happily.

Lucy looked up at Peter rather smugly. "Told you he was real."

"I can't wait to tell my father that he's real." She said with a smile.

Did you hear what he said... winter is almost over." He said as he looked around at them. "You no what that means... no more ice!"

They looked at each other before they dashed off.

They ran to the river, they could hear the ice breaking and the water running below. "Wait, maybe we should think about this." Susan said.

"We don't have time!" Peter said.

"I was just trying to be realistic…" She said.

"No, you're trying to be smart...as usual!" Peter said.

"Stop arguing!" Eliza cried out. "Now isn't the time!" She then picked up her skirt to reveal her boots. She cautiously stepped on the ice.

"Wait, maybe I should go first." Beaver said, stopping her.

Peter pulled Eliza back before the ice cracked beneath her feet; she slipped a bit and clung to his arm as she tried to regain her balance. "Maybe you should." Peter said.

Mr. Beaver went onto the ice, lightly patting it with his tail as they cautiously walked on the ice, Lucy and Eliza each clutched to Peters sides. The ice cracked a bit under Mr. Beaver.

"You've been sneaking second helpings haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver asked.

"Well you never know what meal is gonna be your last," He said over his shoulder. "Especially with your cooking." He added the last bit silently.

"If mum knew what we were doing..." Susan said.

"Mum's not here!" Peter said a bit loudly.

"Oh no!" Lucy cried out as they looked up to see the wolves.

"RUN!" Peter yelled.

The younger girls let out shrieks when wolves jumped in front of them, snarling at them. Peter had to let go of them to draw his sword, he held it – unsure of what to do, and Eliza suddenly wished that Father Christmas had given _her_the sword.

"Put that down boy, someone might get hurt." The leader of the pack said. Eliza recognized his voice as the Wolf that had confronted Fox by the dam. They had Mr. Beaver pinned down.

"Don't worry about me! Slit his throat!" Mr. Beaver yelled out.

"Leave now while you can, and you're brother leaves with you." The leader said.

"Don't listen to him!" Eliza cried out. "He's lying –" She let out a shriek as a wolf pushed her down and put a paw on her chest.

"Stop Peter, maybe we should listen to him!" Susan cried out.

"Smart girl." The leaser said.

Eliza swiped at the Wolf's nose, punching him in his muzzle; he snarled and bit down on her arm. She let out a pained shriek as tears poured out of her eyes. It would have been a lot worse has she not been wearing the fur coat.

"Don't listen to him, kill him! Kill him now!" Mr. Beaver yelled.

"Do it Peter!" Eliza cried out.

"Look, just because some man in a red suit hands you a sword doesn't make you a hero! So just drop it!" Susan shrieked; her eye was on the bleeding Eliza.

"No Peter! Narnia needs ya!" Mr. Beaver yelled.

"What's it gonna be Son of Adam? We're not going to wait for ever. And neither is the river." The leader said.

The waterfall above them began to break. The Wolves ran off and Peter grabbed Eliza who was clutching her arm to her chest.

"PETER!" Lucy shrieked.

"Hold on to me!" He yelled as he stabbed his sword into the ice. The girls all clung to him as the ice broke and a freezing wave sent them away.

Eliza coughed as she was pushed ashore by Susan. Mrs. Beaver ran to her. "Show me your arm dear." She said.

She removed the jacket and saw that the sleeve of her dress was stained red. It still hurt a lot. "The coat took most of it." She said to Mrs. Beaver. She tore a bit of Eliza's skirt and then she wrapped it around Eliza's arm with it. She then remembered the book.

"Oh no! My book!" She removed it from her back and opened the case it was in only to find it was dry, the water had been kept out by the case. "Thank goodness." She said with a happy smile.

Lucy walked over to Eliza. "Are you okay?" She asked.

She nodded and rubbed at her eyes. "It hurts, but it's fine."

Lucy smiled and pulled her up. Peter patted Eliza's shoulder and Susan lightly embraced her.

"I don't think you'll be needing those coats any more!" Mrs. Beaver said.

They looked around and saw the trees were budding. Spring had arrived! They abandoned their coats as they continued to walk, Eliza's arm had been put in a sling. Also from her dress. They saw many tents in the distance. "We made it." She said happily as Lucy grabbed her hand and the two girls ran happily between the trees and flowers, a creature drifted past them as if she was made of flower petals, she waved to them and then went to join others like her. The girls looked about them in wonder as Susan and Peter caught up with them.


	4. Chapter 4: Lions Battles and Revalations

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

When they walked into the camp many stared at them. There were creatures that were half human and half goat, or half human and half horse. Some were animals Eliza was willing to bet they could talk.

And they were all staring at them.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Susan asked.

"Maybe they think you look funny." Lucy said with a smirk. Peter chuckled as Eliza stared around in wonder.

Everyone was so tall. They stopped at the main tent; there a massive half man half horse stood there, Eliza recalled they were called Centaurs. She stared up at him in awe; she had never seen someone so tall – or with so many muscles.

Peter pulled out a sword and he held it up. "We have come to see Aslan." He said.

A gentle and familiar breeze seemed to caress Eliza's cheek. Everyone began to kneel as the creature within emerged.

Up until this point Eliza had never before seen a lion save for a painted picture in her books, but what she saw made her decide that he was – without doubt – the most beautiful Lion there ever was.

His fur was like the rich gold, and his mane seemed to outshine the sun. He walked with grace unparalleled and it was in that moment Eliza knew.

This was Aslan.

She got down to her knees and bowed her head in respect.

"Welcome Peter Adam's son," He spoke, his voice unlike anything Eliza ever heard, she suddenly wasn't tired, and she knew she could listen to him speak all day if she could. "Welcome Susan and Lucy daughters-of-Eve. Welcome Beavers. You have my thanks, but where is the fourth."

Eliza's heart dropped. He did not even mention her, had he even noticed her? She suddenly felt very sad. "That's why we are here." Peter said.

Had she done something wrong? Her hand went to the pendant that Father Christmas gave her.

"We had a little trouble along the way." Susan said.

"He's been captured by the White Witch…" Peter added.

"He betrayed them your Excellence!" Mr. Beaver said.

"Then he has betrayed us all." The impressive Centaur said.

"Peace Orius."

"It isn't his fault." Eliza spoke up for the first time. Everyone looked at her and she suddenly blushed from all of the attention. "I once read in a book in my father's study that when someone is tricked into joining the enemy… sometimes… they are made to think they will get what it is they wish… E-Edmund… Maybe he wanted… something –" She blushed and looked down. "I don't think he betrayed them."

Aslan padded over to Eliza. "Arise, Daughter of Narnia." He said.

"D-Daughter… of…" She said curiously. She suddenly remembered her grandmother. "Grandma…" She said quietly.

"It is my fault really." Peter said. "I was too hard on him."

"We all were." Susan said.

It all felt like too much for Eliza's 10-year-old brain to comprehend. The stories her grandmother told her… they were obviously real.

"Sir, he's our brother." Lucy said.

"I know dear one, and that makes the betrayal all the worse. It may be harder than you think." Aslan said gently.

The half people half goat people turned out to be called Fauns, like Mr. Tumnus. One of them was treating her arm. "Once you have been treated you are to speak to Aslan." The Faun said.

She nodded and then watched as her arm was cleaned and then bandaged. She was then given a tunic and breeches to change in to as it was the only thing they could find that would fit her as she was slightly taller than Lucy but not as slight. Once the Faun had braided her hair she grabbed her book and then walked off to see Aslan.

As she walked up the hill Peter was sitting there too, he looked up as she joined them. Eliza felt frightfully shy. "There is no cause for embarrassment, dear one." Aslan said.

"I've been thinking about… what you said today…" She frowned. "Was my grandmother… was she a Narnian?"

"She is from a land known as Archenland." He replied. "It is a place where many people live."

"So…" She started. "I won't sprout wings… or have magic…"

He laughed gently. "My dear, the only magic you have is the ordinary every day sort, and your gift for story telling."

She smiled gently.

Peter was about to say something but the sound of a horn cut through the silence.

"Susan and Lucy!" Peter said as he sprung to his feet. "Eliza stay here." Peter said.

The young girl nodded and watched as Peter ran off, Aslan was right behind him.

She grabbed her book and walked back into camp. She thought being in Narnia would be so much funner than it was at the moment.

She went to the tent she was sharing with Susan and Lucy and she just stared at the cover of the book, she knew she would write in it when she had pen to write with. She let out a sigh before hiding it under the many pillows that made up her bed. She then left and began to wander about the camp.

The following morning Eliza had breakfast with Lucy and Susan. "Peter isn't awake yet?" She asked.

The girls shook their head. They had told Eliza everything that happened that night. She figured he was still tired from his fight. He finally joined them and then looked up at the hill. "EDMUND!" Lucy said happily as she ran forward. Peter stopped her before she could run to him.

Aslan led Edmund to them. "What's done is done. There is no reason to bring up the past with your brother." Aslan told them.

"Hello..." He said awkwardly.

"Oh, Edmund." Lucy said as she ran and hugged him tightly.

Susan did the same. Eliza remained seated in her spot as she watched the Siblings interact.

"How are you feeling?" Susan asked.

"I'm feeling kind of tired." He replied. "Eliza…" He nodded in greeting.

"Edmund." She replied with a similar gesture.

"Get some rest...and Edmund try not to wander off again." Peter said with a gentle smile.

Eliza had finished breakfast before them and then was ordered to find Orius who would teach her how to wield a sword for battle.

She walked around and found the Centaur; he was sharpening a sword that was taller than her. He looked up and eyed her as if trying to see if she could even pick up a sword. "… A-Aslan told me to f-find you." She said timidly.

He was intimidating to the child.

He silently walked to a small pile of weapons. "Come over here." He said.

She nodded and walked over to him. He knelt down and grabbed a sword that was probably a knife to the Centaurs. She gripped it and her hand dropped. It was heavy, but not too heavy.

"You have some experience with the blade?" He asked.

She nodded. "M-My father… he taught me…" She looked down at the sword. "Cutlass…"

"This is heaver than a cutlass." He said.

"Yes, it is." She said as she swung her arm a bit as she tested the weight of the sword and its balance.

"Spar with me." He said.

She blinked. "But you are so tall!" She said.

He blinked, looked down at her, and laughed. He then put a hand on her head and she blinked, not expecting the Centaur to be capable of laughter. "Even the most skittish foal should be able to hold its ground amongst the biggest opponent." He said.

She looked up at him. "But…"

"Grab your sword, Little Foal." He said. "I shall teach you to fight the Big Ones."

Eliza found herself learning how to fight in different styles, before long her limbs were burning and Peter and Edmund had joined them.

The child collapsed on the ground and stared up at the sky; sweat rolled down her forehead and plastered her bangs to her forehead, from all the time in the sun small freckles dotted her skin as it bronzed. Peter and Edmund had moved on to train on horses.

Orius forced her to get up. "Rise." He said. "The White Witch has requested a meeting with Aslan."

She frowned. "But I'm tired." She complained.

He grabbed her by the back of her neck and then pulled her behind him as they went to the circle of tents were the Narnians were waiting.

A Dwarf walked. "Jadis!" He called out. "Jadis!"

The Witch was being carried by people who were distorted. The Witch was both beautiful and terrible, she was tall, and her eyes were cruel. "You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan." She spoke clearly.

"His offence was not against you." Aslan spoke.

"Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?" Jadis said.

"Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch!" Aslan snapped. "I was there when it was made."

"Then you will know that the boy belongs to me." Jadis said and then she pointed to Edmund. "That boy, will die on the stone table."

"You can't have him!" Peter yelled out at Jadis.

"You think that a simple threat will deny me my right, little king? Aslan knows that if I do not have blood as the law demands, all of Narnia will be overturned, and perish, in fire and water." Jadis said loudly.

"Enough!" Aslan said. "I shall talk with you alone."

She followed Aslan into the tent. Peter looked at Eliza as she sat down, her face was sunburned, and she had a sword at her hip, her pendant glinted in the sun. "Aslan will get Edmund free." She said as she sat with the Pevensies. "I bet he will."

After a while they began to tear grass out of the ground. Eliza had begun light sparring with a blade of grass as she held a stick. Finally, after what seemed like an age the Witch existed the tent, Aslan was behind her.

"The Witch has denounced her claim on Edmund."

There was a happy cheer.

"How will I know your promise will be kept?" Jadis asked.

Aslan roared and she fell into her seat in shock as the Narnians laughed. Eliza watched as Aslan let out a sigh and then he walked into his tent.

Eliza got up as she walked into the tent. She found it was surprisingly bare but for a low table with a map on it, and cushions in a corner upon which the Lion sat.

"My Lord?" She said quietly.

"You may join your friends, Dear One." He said.

"But you are sad." She said quietly as she sat with him. "Will you not say why?"

He looked at her. She tucked her feet under her. She never thought she would see someone so great look so sad.

"What was the condition upon which the Witch agreed to denounce her claim on Edmund?" She asked.

He rose and paced around. "Young one, it has been decided that it is you that will give counsel to the Kings and Queens." He said.

She nodded.

"Therefore you must learn about the Deep Magic." He said. "The Deep Magic demands that a traitor to be sacrificed upon the Stone Table. A sacrifice must be made."

It sunk in. "You mustn't!" She said as she got up and then she threw her arms around his neck as she buried her face into his soft mane. "You mustn't die!" She cried out in dismay. When he didn't respond she sat back and stared up at the Lion. "Can I at least go with you?" She asked.

"No." He said. "You must remain and give counsel to Peter, he will need you."

She nodded and put her hands on her knees, her body shook. "Aslan, I'm afraid… I don't want to go into battle." She said quietly. "I'm not brave or strong enough."

Aslan chuckled. "Dear one, you are both brave and strong enough." He said. "Now you must go."

She nodded and hugged him one last time before she left.

That night she was curled up tightly in a ball as she heard Susan and Lucy leave the tent. She held back her tears and clutched the pendant, suddenly feeling very small – and very much a ten-year-old.

The following morning she pulled her hair into a braid and then she put her sword at her hip before shoving her feet into her boots. She looked up and saw that Susan and Lucy were gone, she frowned and then she grabbed her cloak as she pulled it around her shoulders and then she pinned it before walking out of the tent.

Peter walked out of Aslan's tent. "It's true… He's gone –" He then noticed Eliza. "Eliza?"

She nodded. "I knew he was leaving." She said. "He forbade me from going with him." She wrapped the cloak tighter around her body. "He said I have to give you Counsel."

Edmund stood beside her. "What now?"

"We have to go to battle." She said as she looked up at the taller boys.

Edmund nodded. "Then you'll have to lead us. There's a whole army out there waiting to follow you…" Edmund agreed.

"I can't." Peter said.

"Aslan believed you could." Edmund said; he then put a hand on Eliza's shoulder. "And so does Eliza and me."

Eliza nodded. "Aslan has faith in you… We all do." She said.

Orius nodded. "What are your orders?"

Peter looked down at a map and then up at the others. "Prepare for battle."

Peter was taken to a tent to be prepared as fauns helped Edmund and Eliza ready for battle.

"I'm scared." She said to Edmund as she belted her sword on over the red tunic that went over her chain-mail, it was emblazoned with the standard of Aslan.

He looked up at her as he paused from strapping on the leg protectors. She sat on a log as she kicked her feet. "I am too." He said.

"But I don't want to die." She said quietly. "Do you think if I die here… I die in the real world?"

Edmund sat beside her and then put an arm around her shoulders. "Who knows." He said. "But, you know… I think this is so much better then the dull lives we had then."

She rubbed at her eyes with her hands as she nodded. "You're right." She said.

He patted her shoulder. "We'll live." He said. "And then we'll get to do all sorts of fun things."

She grinned and nodded.

Orius joined them and then he looked down at Eliza. "You will ride with me, Little Foal." He said.

She got up and nodded as he pulled her onto his back.

They all assembled into lines, Eliza gripped the armor on Orius' back as she watched everyone while they marched to the big field where their battle would be fought.

Once there Orius and Peter were side by side, Peter on a creature that Eliza had been told didn't exist, a beautiful white unicorn with its horn gleaming wonderfully in the moonlight.

"Numbers do not win a battle." Orius said when they saw the Witch's army.

"No." Peter said. "But I bet they help."

The army charged forward towards them.

"Are you with me?" Peter asked Orius and Eliza.

"To the death." They said as they drew their swords.

"FOR NARNIA! FOR ASLAN!" Peter yelled as they charged forward.

Eliza was not prepared for the devastation of war as she was knocked off Orius' back, she braced herself and made sure to fall in a way she wouldn't harm herself. "ELIZA!" Peter yelled, she looked up and saw one of the enemies trying to bring an axe down, she quickly rolled to the side and then stabbed her sword into his leg, he howled and then made to attack her again but his head flew off when Orius swiped at him. She wanted to cry when blood rained down on her but she got up and ran off into the fray.

Her most deadly enemies were Dwarves who were just a bit shorter than her.

She cried out in surprise as Orius pulled her back behind him as he charged at the White Witch.

"STOP!" Peter yelled.

But as the Centaur attacked he was turned to stone. Eliza rolled off and cried out. "NO!"

The White Witch advanced on her and she backed away, she got up and ran. Peter grabbed her arm and pulled her along as they ran into Edmund and Mr. Beaver. "Ed! There are too many of them! Go! Get out of here! Get the girls, take Eliza, and get them home!" He yelled.

"No!" Eliza cried out as she yanked her arm away. "I'm staying!" She grabbed her sword and then ran back into the fray.

She fought with a Dwarf who had menacing eyes; she let out a pained cry as he stabbed her in the shoulder just under the armor. An arrow flew and his him through the eye – she turned and saw Susan and Aslan.

Her face lit up. "ASLAN!" She yelled. Susan cried out and set an arrow in her bow but it was too late. A blade pierced Eliza from the back.

The child fell to her knees as she clutched her side.

The sounds of battle all around her was dying down, and then Lucy ran to her. "Eliza!" She cried out and gave the girl a drop of her cordial, healing her almost instantly. She got up and joined the Pevensies.

"You're okay!" Susan said as she hugged the child.

Eliza couldn't breathe. "I'm FINE!" She choked out.

They laughed as she pulled away. The Battle was won, and the White Witch was dead.


	5. Chapter 5: New Age

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

Her room overlooked the sea, she happily stood on the balcony, barely able to look over the rail, a faun had dressed her in a very pretty dress and her hair was in ribbons so that they would curl just like Lucy. She wouldn't be a queen like her friends, but she was excited about the coronation anyways.

A party she could go to.

The Faun walked in. "Lady Eliza?" She asked.

The child walked into the room and smiled brightly. "Here I am!"

Eliza had never seen a hall more beautiful or decorated than this one, a faun with a red scarf about his neck noticed her. She smiled. "You must be Mr. Tumnus!" She said.

"And you are?" He asked.

"Eliza." She said as she held out her hand. "Eliza Goodly!"

"Ah! You shake it!" He said as he gripped her hand and shook it.

She smiled. "Yes."

Aslan padded into the room and Mr. Tumnus was bowing. Eliza smiled as he joined them. "Eliza, you must ready yourself for the task you have."

"My task?" She said as she followed him.

The hall was full of Narnians. "Bring forth the crowns!" Aslan called out.

Mr. Tumnus walked in with a crown; behind him were Eliza, Mr. Beaver, and Mrs. Beaver and they all bore crowns.

"To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant." Aslan said as Mr. Tumnus put a crown on Lucy's head. "To the great western woods, King Edmund the Just." Tumnus took the crown from Eliza and placed it on Edmund's head. "To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan the Gentle." He then placed one on Susan's head. "And to the clear northern skies, King Peter the Magnificent." Mr. Tumnus places the final and most beautiful crown on Peter's head. "Once a king or Queen of Narnia, always a king or queen."

"Long live King Peter! Long live Queen Susan! Long live King Edmund! And long live Queen Lucy!" The Narnians cheered.

Later they walked together on the beach, her slippers abandoned on the sand. "Even the best kings and queens need someone to help them and to guide them… the give them good counsel when they need it… and to admonish them when they do something foolish." He said.

"I understand." She said.

"From henceforth you will have a tutor who will teach you about the laws of Narnia, and about the deep magic."

"But not you." She said.

"My time amongst you is over." He said. "However, I will not be gone for long."

"But…" She said gently.

"I will only appear when you truly need me." He said. "Now you are ready to go on the path of life without my guidance."

She nodded and looked ahead. "I will miss you." She said.

"And I you, dear one." He said. He continued to walk as she watched him continue down the beach until she couldn't see him anymore.

Years later Eliza would walk down to that very beach just to think. She was now 17 and she stared out to sea, the Mermaids were playing about while paying no heed to the girl.

"There you are!" A voice said.

She turned her head to look up at Susan; the girl had grown into a very beautiful young woman. "We were wondering where you went!"

"I needed a break from all that Deep Magic talk." Eliza said as she threw herself back onto the sand, her arms beneath her head. "It hurts my head."

She laughed and sat beside Eliza. "We're headed to –"

"After the Calormen disaster… I think it's best we stay put." She said with a smirk.

Susan rolled her eyes. "Had we not left you would now be giving counsel to Rabadash the Ridiculous." She said.

Eliza winced at the thought. "Yeah… I'm glad we left, then." She said as she sat up.

"What is it?" Susan asked.

Eliza shrugged. "It's just that…" She let out a sigh. "Sometimes I wonder if… Aslan thinks about us."

"He does." Susan said. "He's watching over us."

"We're going to hunt the White Stag, there is a rumor he has been seen at the edge of the woods… would you like to join us?"

"Only royals can." Eliza said. "Have fun."

Susan smiled gently.

Since the Pevensies took the rule Narnia flourished under the golden age, a prosperous age where everyone was at peace, and everyone was happy.

Eliza kept her promise to Aslan, and she gave them good counsel, she learned everything she could about the Laws of Narnia, and scolded the siblings when they did the wrong things. Yet when they went to hunt for the stag, they never returned, all that did return were their horses with empty saddles, and their things attached to them.

Eliza had four statues commissioned, and four stone chests where she put their things away, and the treasury remained hidden from anyone who came.

New Monarchs were chosen from Archenland, and Narnia fell into a Dark Age, gone was the happiness of the Golden Age, and yet Eliza remained to give counsel.

The Narnians distrusted the new Monarchs, deciding them to be worse than any Monarch before – they killed them.

Eliza had spent years trying to regain peace and the years were now showing on her face. She was now 30, but the skin around her eyes were haggard, and her hair was full of grey. Stress and anger did not suit her.

Once again she was left to care for Cair Paravel.

"The Telmarines have set their sights on Narnia." Orius said.

She placed her hands, as if in prayer, under her chin. "I have herd of this… Caspian." She said quietly. "What do we know of them?"

Orius nodded. "They are skilled at Sieges, Little Foal." He said. She smiled slightly as she heard this.

"I am not a Little Foal anymore."

"As long as I live, you are." He said.

She let out a sigh. "Have we seen any movement from them?" She asked Orius.

"Just ships sailing out from Telmar." He replied.

She nodded. "I want Catapults built around Cair Paravel, in every level of the castle; have the Narnians move into the castle." She got up. "We must prepare for the worst."

He bowed to her and then left.

She ran a hand through her hair as she looked about the hall, four thrones that had fallen into disuse. "If only you could see what has happened to your kingdom." She whispered gently as she walked to the thrones. Outside a storm was brewing. She let out a heavy sigh as Orius walked in once more. "Little Foal." He said. "There are ships on the horizon."

She ran outside and saw a whole fleet of ships. "That… is a whole Armada…" She whispered.

He joined her on the balcony.

"What are we getting into?" She asked quietly.

Orius put a hand on her shoulder.

"This is suicide." She whispered. "But I will fight with every fiber in my being… are you with me?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"To the death."


	6. Chapter 6: What Happens?

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

Eliza stood patiently as the fauns dressed her into the armor. It had been a gift from Archenland from someone who claimed to have known her grandmother Wilhelmina. A sword was at her side. Orius entered the room. "The archers are stationed on the walls." He said.

"And the Catapults?" She asked.

"Are ready for use." He replied.

"How many?" She asked.

"Two thousand Narnians." He replied.

"The Telmarines?"

He fell silent.

"We have numbers." She said as the last bit of armor was strapped on. "But will they help us?"

He remained silent.

"I see."

"I will hold them off while you head back to the –"

"I will not abandon you all in time of need." She replied. "It is a grave insult that you would suggest that."

"Forgive me, Little Foal."

She grabbed the helmet. "For twenty years I have stood by to do nothing but give counsel." She said as she stared out the window. The ships were looming ever closer. "It is time I made a final stand."

He stared at her; she was no more the skittish foal that he had first met twenty years ago when Narnia was fighting off the frost. She stood tall and resolute like any Centaur – only she was human. Her eyes were tired, but now they had a fire in them that was fueled by both anger and sadness. Her hand went to the ruby that always hung about her neck. "Have you fortified the weak western wall?" She asked.

"They are working on it." He said.

She nodded and looked at him. "One more battle." She said. "One more battle we fight together… For Narnia… for Aslan…"

He bowed to her as she walked out of the room.

Narnians bowed to her as she passed, she walked out to the front gates. "I wish to parley with their king." She said.

A centaur nodded and then they walked to the beach. As they did a longboat arrived to the shore and a man in armor stepped onto the soft sand, her beach – her shore – and not it felt like he defiled it with his intention for war.

The man was tall, with black hair, and jade eyes, he would have been handsome but for the ugly smirk upon his face, and that greedy gleam in his eyes.

"You are Caspian?" She asked.

"I am King Caspian." He nodded. "You are?"

"Eliza –"

"Ahh, Eliza Soothsayer." He said. "I have heard much about you."

"I am sure you have." She said. "Turn your ships about; you have no business in Narnia."

"Oh, I assure you – I do."

She narrowed her eyes. "I am protector of this land –"

"A kingless land – you preach to someone who will not listen." He said. "Lady Eliza, I laugh! They say you give _good _counsel." He smirked.

She was irritated by him. "Turn your ships and leave, and you will not face a humiliating defeat."

He laughed. "Humiliating? My Lady! You haven't my numbers! You protect a torn land – do not think I do not know of you 'dark age'." He shook his head. "It would do you best to surrender – or join me."

She shook her head. "Never."

"Then I will speak to you once more after I have conquered this land."

"And I will speak to you once more after you have been thrown into out dungeons." She said and then they each turned and returned to their people.

The Narnians looked at her expectantly. "Negotiations have failed." She said. She paced. "Narnians, we must hold fast…" She looked around at them. "For Aslan… For Narnia… and for whatever love we still hold for each other." She paused her pacing. "In the recent years we have had a hard time remaining steadfast and united… but today… we have no choice." She looked at the Minotaurs and Dwarves. "We must put aside our differences – and remember all the ways we are the same." She looked up at Orius. "We are all brothers in arms." She said as she turned to the others again. They could hear cannon fire and the castle shook. "We will all stand and fight!" She looked up. "Catapults!"

Someone from above echoed her command and they could hear the rocks being flung at the ships.

"Orius, I want you to lead out the riders." She said to the Centaur.

"And you?" He asked.

She shoved the helmet onto her head and nodded. "I will ride out with you." She called out to another Centaur and gave him command of the archers.

A horse was brought to her.

"They have landed!" A faun cried out.

"Brutus." She called out to a Minotaur.

He joined them and Orius eyed him distastefully before looking down at Eliza again. "My Lady?" He said in his deep sluggish voice.

"We will try to attack them before they can get to far up shore." She said. "Try and chase them back into the water, the Merfolk have promised their spears to Aslan."

He nodded.

She drew her sword and then she pulled the visor down on her helmet. "Open the gates." She said.

They obeyed and the doors were flung open. She held out her sword. "FOR NARNIA!" She yelled out as they charged forward.

The Telmarines were many, from their ships they fired cannons, it was that moment Eliza realized there would be no winning this fight. Sand flew everywhere as a cannonball hit the sand beside her, she was flung off her horse; with a groan she threw her helmet off and shook sand out of her eyes. 'I'm getting too old for this.' She thought as she saw King Caspian smirking her way.

She got up again and charged forward with Brutus and Orius at her side, stabbing and cutting as she went.

She suddenly felt unbearably hot at her neck. She looked down and the pendant was consumed with flames. "What –" She let out a shriek as the flames consumed her. A roar and everything went silent.

What happens when you die in Narnia?

A question she had asked many times before.

Every time she went into a battle she would ask this question to Orius.

She had always feared for her life, and she hoped she would have died in a way that some would call brave – that she would know what valor was.

Instead – as magic brought her into the world…

It was magic that took her out.

No blade to the heart, or cannon-fire to her being… no blood was spilt from her body, and she was not crushed to death until her very bone-marrow poisoned her blood.

Instead she woke up in the woods just outside her home, like it had been nothing more than a dream, she was sitting against a tree, her hands on her lap, and she was ten again.

She rubbed at her eyes. "Was it all a dream?" She wondered as she pushed herself off the ground. Her dress was dirty; she dusted herself off as she looked around. She could have sworn she saw something gold in the woods. "Aslan?" She asked gently.

Her hand went to her pendant; its warmth was the only thing that told her it was real. She then smiled as she remembered the adventure she had, she turned on her heel and ran into the house. "Granny! Granny!" She called out brightly.

Elizabeth smiled. "Someone is in a good mood –"

"Mother! I've missed you!" She cried out.

"Missed me?" She said. "You went into the woods for a second; I'm surprised you are back so quickly!" She laughed gently.

Eliza smiled. "I have so many good stories for you." She said.

Elizabeth noticed the necklace. "Eliza… where did you get this?" She asked.

"… I…" She looked down. "I found it in the woods." She said.

It wasn't a lie because Narnia had been just beyond the woods.

Wilhelmina smiled as she entered the room. "Tell me." She said. "About your grand stories."

Eliza smiled brightly as she tucked her necklace into her dress. "Oh Granny, I don't even know where to start!"

"How about… at the very beginning?"

Eliza smiled.

She had never realized that she would miss home so much, even if it seemed like she had been gone for no longer than a moment.

She stared at the woods and then began to tell her mother and grandmother magnificent stories of a magical land called Narnia, and the four children who saved it.

Elizabeth tucked her daughter into bed and then kissed her forehead. "Never stop dreaming, my dear Eliza." She said as she left the room.

Eliza waited for everyone to fall asleep before she crept out of bed, and out of the house. She walked to the edge of the woods as she peered in.

"You won't be able to go back." Wilhelmina said, scaring the child.

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"I have been trying to go home for a very long time." Wilhelmina said. "It seems that once a place goes to Narnia for one person, it is never the way back in again."

"Oh…" Eliza said, sounding dismayed. "I would love to go back."

Wilhelmina smiled gently. "Tell me, dear Eliza, what happens to someone who dies in Narnia?"

Eliza shrugged. "What happens to someone when they die here?"

Wilhelmina smiled gently and held out her hand. "Come, we mustn't worry your parents like you did the other day."

Eliza smiled and grabbed her grandmother's hand. "Some day, you'll be able to go back." She said. "I promise."

"Oh child, that is one promise you will not be able to keep."  
**  
**


	7. Chapter 7: 9 years later

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

Hundreds of people stood around, talking to each other – consoling each other, telling each other she would have a happy after-life. The church was full of faces she didn't know. People she didn't care to meet. Girls her age spoke about her behind fans, her father stood beside her, and her sister clung to her mother's skirts.

She hated England. It was now void of the one person who understood her best.

On a tombstone, engraved with a bitter finality was her name.

'Lady Wilhelmina Goodly.' her birth date was unknown, but her date was there… 1778. It said that she was a beloved mother, grandmother, and an adventurer in heart.

Someone began to sing a hymn from somewhere in the crowd. A tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to better the place she lived in with magical words and her vivid imagination.

Her hand went to her pendant, the only burst of color in this otherwise gloomy sea of black and grey. Slowly they walked back to the house where she would be forced to speak with people she didn't like – people who thought her insane and unbalanced, women who thought her to be a spinster because she refused to marry at the age of 19, and men who thought she was an oaf of a girl.

What happens when you die in this world? She thought as she sat outside. The woods had been cut away so that people could build; she now despised the stone wall that separated their garden from their neighbors. She longed to be in Narnia again.

Her father sat beside her and then let out a sigh. "Eliza… Your grandmother… she left things for you –"

"She told me." The 19-year-old said. "Before she passed."

He nodded. "Eliza… I haven't been very fair to you in the past years I –"

"No, father." She said. "I understand… grandmother told me… not to…" She let out a sigh, she refused to cry. "She was an amazing person." She spoke out. "No one was ever like her."

Tears rolled down his cheeks as they stared at the stone wall.

She hated that wall.

Every crack and line in it, every block and brick, it was confining, she despised it.

"We were thinking…" He said. "On going on a vacation to America… to get away from everything."

She looked at him. "America…?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded.

She looked away. "I don't want to leave."

"But you hate it here." He said.

"Yes, I do."

"Then why won't you leave?" He asked.

"Because… Narnia." She said.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "Narnia isn't real –"

"Yes it is!" She got up. "It is real! I've been there!" She yelled at him.

"Eliza – lower your voice!" He hissed.

"No!" She said. "Why should I? Everyone in there would love a show, wouldn't they?" She asked as she pointed to the people inside.

She had spent years looking for Narnia, searching for a way to get back in, 9 years she looked – she had promised her grandmother she would take her back.

But now it was too late.

"Half of them are here to see what our house looks like on the inside." She said. "The other half is here to smugly and disgustingly revel in out sorrow!"

"Eliza!" Her mother said.

"Don't act like you don't know this." Eliza said as she walked into the house. "All of you –" She pointed to the guests. "You don't care. In fact, right know I bet you are all thinking about how the money will be split." She laughed at them.

Jonathan grabbed his daughter's upper arm as he forced her up the stairs. He ushered her into her room and then paced angrily. "Eliza!"

"You know it's true." She said.

"But it doesn't mean you can speak out about it!" He said. "Propriety –"

She scoffed. "Propriety." She snorted. "Grandmother told me about your history with the pirates."

"That was something else!" He said.

"Is it?" She challenged him.

He stared into her eyes and then let his shoulders droop. "When did you get such a fiery spirit?" He asked. "I can't even argue with you anymore." He sat on her bed and then let out a long sigh. "Once upon a time I was your biggest hero." He said as he stared down at his hands. "And then you grew up… and became the hero of your own adventures."

She sat beside him. "Father – you never…"

"Believed." He said. "I know." He shook his head. "I tried so hard to keep you from all of this Narnia nonsense –"

"You know –"

"Of course I know." He said. "Growing up with my mother –" He shook his head. "I always hoped that you wouldn't have to go through all those childish hopes at never finding it – and then –" He pointed to her necklace. "You did."

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" She whispered.

"I was afraid that if I agreed with mother… you would be in an even bigger rush to grow up." He shook his head again. "I did not want to lose you to… Him."

Him, there was no question as to who Him was… Aslan.

She fell silent as she stared at the carpet. "Father… If you had… spoken –" She fought back her tears. "I wanted to go back so badly… I wanted to take Grandmother… I wanted her to live forever…"

"We all did." He said as he pinched at his eyes. "She had so much spirit… such an imagination – you got that from her."

She chuckled. "I bet I did." She smiled gently.

He looked at her and smiled gently. "I knew you had gone there from the look in your eyes."

"The look…" She said.

"It had that haunted look of someone who has seen too many wars." He said as he gently touched her cheek.

She let out a sigh as she looked away.

"Do you still wish to return to Narnia?" He asked.

"Yes." She whispered gently.

He stood and then kissed the top of her head before leaving her. She could hear him apologize for her actions, blaming it on grief, but she knew no one believed him.

She had irreparably damaged her place in society.

Not that she cared.

The following day she walked to the cemetery to see her Grandmother; she had roses in her arms as she walked in. She walked to her grave and then she placed the flowers upon them.

She sat there for a moment before leaving.

She had promised her grandmother she would help her get back to Narnia, but she never figured out how. She had broken her promise to her grandmother.

The question on her mind was… What happened when someone from Narnia died in the real world?

She placed her hand on her pendant as she walked back to the house, as she passed many people muttered behind their hands. She shook her head and walked into the safety of her home.


	8. Chapter 8: Soothsayer

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

Eliza sat in her room looking through the things her grandmother left her: a silver ring, a very battered copy of The Odyssey, a brooch, some hair pins, and a bit of scarlet fabric, when she unfurled it she saw Aslan's standard. She smiled and ran her fingers over the gold stitching. She rolled it up and then she tied it around her wrist. She then placed the ring upon her finger.

It was a gloomy day out, and the rain was hitting the window with an audible sound, and it only increased Eliza's melancholy.

She hadn't even bothered to change out of her nightgown that day.

She curled up on her bed and opened the book as she turned the pages though not really reading, before long she found that she was growing tired, and her eyes were drooping and she did not have the ability to stay awake.

When she woke up she found she was not in her room, in fact – she didn't know where she was. It looked like a throne room, it was dark – and there were seats all around the room.

"What is going…?" She sat up only to hear doors behind her open up.

She turned and saw a man walk in, he looked very lordly – and familiar – it is then it hit her… He was a Telmarine – and he greatly resembled someone she despised greatly. His eyes fell on her and she decided it was time for her to run. She looked around and found a door; she quickly swerved and ran out it.

"AFTER HER!" Someone yelled.

Her bare feet pounded on the stone floor as she turned down a hallway, there was a young man in the hall reading out of a book, she ran into him and they both flew back, he looked at her and was shocked to see the bewildered looking woman who was dressed in nothing but her night-dress.

"Sorry." She said as she got up and ran of as the Soldiers rounded the corner.

Eliza picked up her skirt as she kept fixing the nightgown as it threatened to slip off her shoulder. She let out a curse when she realized that she hit a dead end.

The Soldiers ran ever closer, she then noticed a window, she peered out and saw that it was a far drop, but there was a lot of hay that would break her fall. She climbed into the window and then she gathered her nightgown between her legs and jumped.

People cried out in shock as she landed in the hay, she winced as she rolled off it and into the street. Her joy at freedom, however, was short lived as the moment she turned she faced ten spears – all pointed at her.

She put her hands up and allowed them to force her back into the castle.

She was forced to her knees while they held her wrists out as they returned to the throne room; she looked up at the lord who sat in a chair. He rose and then he stared at her, as if sizing her up. "Do you know where you are?" He asked.

"I have seen many barbarians as I ran." She said through clenched teeth. "I would assume I am in Telmar."

"No." He said. "But close, very close – what are you doing in my castle?"

She smirked. "Your castle? Yet you do not sit in the throne of the king –" This earned her a slap across the face.

"You will not speak of things you do not comprehend." He spat, he then saw the cloth at her wrist. He tore it off and studied it before smirking. "You do not look like a Narnian beast."

"You are Telmarine – yet none of you look like beasts." She spat.

He grabbed her chin and then smirked. "Ah." He said. "I know that face!"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Do you think I do not know of the disgraced Eliza Soothsayer? She vanished when Caspian I invaded Narnia –"

"Swine!" She snarled.

His grip on her chip tightened. "I did not expect to see a child." He said. "So there are Narnians left."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said.

"You don't?" He asked. "You are lying!"

"I –" He slapped her hard across the face, she tasted her blood in her mouth, when she looked up at him again she spat at his feet. "Telmarine SWINE!" She shrieked up at him.

"Take her to the dungeon." He said as he straightened up. "Maybe then she will speak."

"I will tell you nothing!" She yelled as they tried to drag her back, she threw her weight around as she fought them, her heels left blood trails on the stone.

"We shall see." He said darkly.

As she struggled she saw the boy she had bumped into earlier in the day. The horrified look on his face told her he was trustworthy. She managed to free one of her arms as she punched one of the soldiers in the face before she took of her necklace and then she flung it at him. She saw him quickly pocket it and then look innocent as the lord asked him what was in his hand.

She cried out as they flung her into a grimy cell. Another lord marched in and nodded to the soldiers, they tied her up to a post, her arms out and her back exposed to them. She tried throwing her weight around hoping it would get her free but all it did was chafe her wrists with the rope.

"Lord Miraz would like to know where the Narnians are." This man said. She assumed the one that had slapped her earlier was Miraz.

"I don't know!" She yelled at them. "And even if I did, I would never tell you!" She spat in his eye.

He sneered and her and then nodded sharply.

She didn't know what came first. The crack – or the blinding pain across her back as they lashed her with a whip – either way she gritted her teeth so she didn't cry out.

"I will ask again – _where are the Narnians_?"

She remained silent as she tried to recover from the lash.

Upstairs, in the hall, the boy stared at the trail of blood he saw from the girl. He had seen her earlier that day and thought her to be a maid that was caught doing something she shouldn't – until she jumped out of the window.

When he went to investigate in the throne room he saw her being dragged out by the soldiers, her left shoulder indecently exposed because her nightgown had been falling, but her eyes were wild – and her feet were bleeding.

But in a moment she glanced at him and her eyes were not wild. She then threw him a necklace. He quickly shoved it into his pocket as his uncle ran out. "What was that, Caspian?" He asked.

"Nothing, uncle." He said. "Who is that?"

"A thief." He said. "We caught her trying to steal from the kitchens… she had several things in her possession – do not worry young prince, it is taken care of."

Caspian did not know why he doubted his uncle. Especially now he sat in Doctor Cornelius' office as he studied the necklace, it was a ruby pendant – in its depths gold swirled about – it was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"What is that, my Prince?" The Doctor asked as he walked in.

"A thief… she threw it to me."

"Thief?" He said. "May I see it?"

Caspian reluctantly handed it to the Doctor whose glasses slipped right off his nose. "My Prince! You do not know what this is?" He asked.

"I…" He shook his head.

"Oh my Lord." He said. "Was the person who tossed it to you a young woman?"

"Yes."

"That was Eliza Soothsayer!" He said.

"Eliza… Soothsayer – then it is good that she is imprisoned! She was a menace to –"

"My Lord, I thought I taught you to see beyond the Telmarine nonsense that is taught to all the children." He said. "You said she was young?"

"Yes, my age maybe."

"Curious." He said as he stroked the ruby. "Keep it with you, my Lord, she has entrusted you with it."

Caspian was curious. "But why?"

"I do not know." He replied. "We have yet to find out."

In the dungeons below she was curled up on her side. The back of her nightgown stuck to her bleeding back, her feet were grimy and shackled, and the skin around her ankles was irritated. She tried to block out the pain and hope she did not commit a mistake when she tossed her necklace to that Telmarine boy.

They had spent most of the day interrogating her about the location of the Narnians, their accusations made her think something terrible happened since she had left Narnia.

She really didn't know how long she had been in that grimy dungeon, but one day Miraz decided to grace her with a visit. To prevent her from attacking him they tied her to the post again.

The Lord walked in looking very smug. "Good morning." He said.

She regarded him with a dark glare, there was an ugly welt on her cheek when the whip had curled over her shoulder and smacked her in the face.

"Have you had breakfast?" He asked and saw the still full tray of food in the corner. "I take it no." He said.

"I would rather poison myself then let you do it for me." She said in a low voice.

"A tempting offer." He said. "I might just hand you the goblet myself."

"I do not know where the Narnians are." She said.

"Then why do you have this?" He spat and threw the cloth at her.

"It was a gift." She replied. "A token."

He grabbed her face and forcer her gaze up to him, it was a harsh glare. "You are _Narnian_." He spat.

"Archenland." She replied. "I am visiting from Archenland –"

"Lies!" He slapped her across the face. "Do you think I wouldn't recognize you, _Soothsayer_?" He snarled.

Blood was rolling out of the corner of her mouth to mix with the grime that had accumulated on her face.

"I will give you two options." He said as he pulled out a knife. "You will tell me where the Narnians are – or I will force it out of you."

She remained silent, but that did not last very long before her shrieks filled the dungeon.

After their mindless torture she was thrown back into her corner once more. Her face was bleeding, so was her shoulder and her left leg.

She wove between consciousness and unconsciousness as she tried to fight back the darkness, she wasn't sure of the visitor with the gently touch.

When she had finally gained consciousness she found her being was grime free. Someone had taken pity on her and washed her. The blood was gone, but the new cut on her cheeks and jaw were stitched up. She sat up and winced. Someone had salved her back.

Who had done it? Was it just to prepare her for more torture?

She didn't want to know.

She saw her cloth folded neatly by where her head had been. She took it and a parchment fell into her lap. In tidy scrawl there was a not. "Fear not my lady, the Narnians are safe." That was all it said. For fear of it being discovered she crumpled it up and shoved it into her mouth, gagging a bit as she chewed and swallowed – the first thing to go into her horribly empty stomach.

It comforted her to know the Narnians were safe. They were hidden – but what had caused them to go into hiding, just how long has she been gone from Narnia, and why was this Miraz guy so keen on getting her to tell him where the Narnians were.  
**  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Run Away

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

The Prince slumbered away; in his hand was the necklace. Suddenly someone tried to wake up. "My prince!"

"Five more minutes." He grumbled as he turned in his sleep.

"No, my prince! You must leave now; your uncle's wife has given birth to a son!"

The prince understood what that meant and he jumped out of bed, putting the necklace about his neck as he ran to get ready. "What do I do?" He asked.

"Hurry and run." He said. "Flee, my prince – but I ask you wait for me outside the castle."

He nodded and then ran out the door.

The doctor, on the other hand went to the prince's wardrobe and from it he pulled out several things before leaving the room.

He waited for his doctor to arrive, and arrive he did – with him was a cloaked figure, the hood was up so he could not see who it was. The doctor bowed to the figure and handed it a Telmarine sword, it accepted it and strapped it to its back as Caspian jumped up onto his horse.

"You must take her to safety." The Doctor said.

Caspian nodded and hoisted the figure – a woman – behind him.

"Go into the woods, they are afraid of the woods."

"Wait." She said; her voice was hoarse like someone deprived from water. "Aslan will reward you greatly."

Aslan, so this woman was Narnia – or she believed in the Old Ways.

He smiled and bowed to her once more. "If you are here, then the reward has already begun –" He then handed Caspian a horn, she knew that horn. "Keep this with you." He said. "And only blow it when you must."

She looked down at the doctor once more. "They might imprison you." She said.

"Then they may…" He said. "May we meet again."

She nodded and gripped Caspian's waist as he sped off into the night. Before long the Telmarine Soldiers were upon them. "Hurry." She urged him.

He nodded and bid the horse to run faster, every so often he would glance back, in one such instance a branch knocked him off – sending them both sprawling to the ground.

She got up and drew her sword as Caspian was being dragged away, she noticed this and ran after him, her hood had fallen back so she could see better as he scrabbled to get free from the saddle, he finally was able to and the horse continued to run off into the woods.

The Horn was on the ground.

"What's going on out there?" A voice angrily asked.

She looked as a door opened from a tree stump and two Dwarves ran out, a black one and a red one – she knew by the colors of their beards. They noticed the horn and dove for it – but Caspian got it first and then he raised it to his lips, the note that rang from it was so very nostalgic to her, she gasped when the black dwarf hit him in the head.

He then rounded on her and she backed away. "Peace!" She said.

"You smell like them." The red one said.

"I am one of you!" She yanked the cloth off her wrist as she held it out. "I was known as Eliza Soothsayer."

"Stay your blades Trumpkin – Nikabrik!" A badger yelled. "It is her!"

They stared at her oddly.

She smiled and held up her hands. "It is true, I am Eliza Soothsayer."

The Dwarves nodded and put their weapons away. The badger looked up at her. "How about we take your companion inside and treat him?"

She nodded and hoisted Caspian up before grabbing the horn. The inside reminded her of the Beavers' dam. "Through here, my Lady." The Badger said.

"What is your name?" She asked.

"Trufflehunter, My Lady." He said in response.

She placed Caspian upon a bed and together they tended to him before moving to sit by a fire after being allowed to wash what she could of her grimy being, he placed soup in a bowl and she hungrily devoured it. "You have the signs of captivity upon you." Trumpkin said as he sat facing her.

She nodded. "I… appeared in the Castle." She said quietly. "Miraz figured I was Narnian – and he had me imprisoned…"

"Those scars on your face suggest torture." Trumpkin added.

She nodded and didn't say anything.

"Trumpkin – maybe you should check if the woods are safe." Trufflehunter offered.

The Red Dwarf nodded and then left, leaving Nikabrik to glare at Eliza. "A kind person helped with my wounds." She said quietly to Trufflehunter who began to fuss with her face. "Stitched them up, cleaned them – whenever I had fallen asleep." She smiled gently. "I am fine."

"Where else where you hurt?" The Badger asked.

She fell silent, it was then Nikabrik let out an angry yell. "That's how they treat Narnians!"

"Peace, Nikabrik." She said as she held her hand up to appease the angry dwarf. "Tyrants seldom remain in their seats of power." He looked at the fire angrily. "What happened – happened – but I swear upon my good name that I will not let the Telmarines continue their unjust rule."

"Soothsayer indeed." Trufflehunter said as he handed her another helping of soup, he then handed her a small roll of bread.

"Your silver tongue ain't gunna get us out of this mess." Nikabrik grumbled.

"No." She agreed. "But our swords and Aslan will."

Nikabrik snorted. "Aslan? He hadn't cared about us for a log while."

She put the wooden spoon down. "Just how long have I been gone?"

"It's been night Thirteen Hundred years." He said.

The spoon fell with a clatter on the table. "W-What?" She asked quietly.

Inside in the room Caspian woke up and sat up with a jolt as he looked about him, the woman's cloak was covering him as he slowly pushed off the bandage. It took him a moment to recognize where he was. He crept out of the room and saw a room down a short hall, the woman was sitting with her back to him, her hair was long, and it hung limply and damply as if recently washed. She wore a white shirt, one of his, and brown breeches – also his.

"This bread is so stale." The Dwarf said.

"Believe me, it's heaven to the hungry." The woman said – her voice had the softness of youth in it so he assumed she was probably his age.

"I'll just get him some soup then." The Badger said as he moved about.

"You are so kind Trufflehunter, I'm sure Nikabrik would have skinned him alive." She said it a bit too gleefully.

"I ain't housing a Telmarine." He spat and then looked at the Badger, Trufflehunter. "You said you were going to get rid of him."

"No, I said I'd take care of him." He replied.

"Well I don't think I hit him hard enough!"

She laughed. "Nikabrik, he looks like he's young –"

"Exactly! He's just a boy!"

"He's a Telmarine, not some lost puppy!" Nikabrik spat.

"Puppies…" She mused.

"We can't kill him now, not after bandaging its head. It would be like murdering a guest." Trufflehunter reasoned.

"I agree." She said.

"Ah, and how do you think his friends are treating their guest?" He said and then gestured to the woman. "How do you think they treated her?"

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing." The Badger said. "And… Her situation was not something we knew of."

"It is my fault Trumpkin got taken." She said. "I'm willing to go back to –"

"You will do nothing of the thing." The Badger said.

Caspian took this as his chance to bolt to the door, he pushed past the Badger and upturned the table, in a flash the woman was up and the Dwarf blocked his way. Caspian frantically looked around and saw a Poker beside the fire, he grabbed it and swung it down but the woman intercepted it with her bowl, the poker catching on the curved edge of the wooden bowl.

He stared at her and recognition shot through him, it was the young woman who had thrown him the necklace, except her face was scarred on her cheeks and jaw.

"See? I told you we should've killed him!" Nikabrik said as he gestured to the two.

"You know why we can't." Trufflehunter said.

The woman's gaze never left his, her eyes were fierce – almost distrusting.

"If we're taking a vote, I'm with him." Trufflehunter said.

"We can't let him go, he's seen us!" Nikabrik said. He pulled out his sword and attacked Caspian as the woman backed off. "That's enough, Nikabrik! Or do I have to sit on your head again?"

Caspian saw the Dwarf wince, and he saw the woman smirk as she fixed the table.

"Now, look what you made me do! I spent half the morning on that soup." Trufflehunter said.

"A pity that, best soup I ever had." She replied with a pat to the Badger's shoulder.

"Wh… What are you?" Caspian asked, truly bewildered. Here he was some place he didn't know with a talking Badger and a Dwarf that would not stop grumbling… and then there was that young woman.

"It's funny. You'd think more people would recognize a badger when they saw one."

"I don't think that's what he meant." She said with a smirk.

"I mean… You're Narnians. You're supposed to be extinct." He said.

"Ah… that is the legend then." She said with a small smile.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Nikabrik said sourly.

Trufflehunter brought more soup. "Here we are… Still hot."

"Since when did we become a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?" Nikabrik asked as the woman sat down once more.

"I'm not a soldier! I'm Prince Caspian… the tenth."

At the name Caspian he saw the woman's nose flare out dangerously and she gripped the spoon like a spear. Trufflehunter put a hand on hers and she dropped it with a clang.

"What are you doing here?" Nikabrik asked.

He put the poker back into its place. "Running away… My uncle has always wanted my throne. I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own." He sat down beside the woman.

"Well, this changes things." Trufflehunter said.

"Yes… It means we won't have to kill you ourselves." Nikabrik agreed.

"You're right." Caspian said as he got up and then he went to put his armor on.

"Where do you think you're going?" The woman asked him.

"My uncle will not stop until I am dead." He said in response, there was a gleam in her eye – hate… pure contempt. He did not know what he did to warrant such a glare.

"Wait, you're meant to save us!" Trufflehunter cried out. "Don't you know what this is?"

Caspian shook his head as he sat down beside her again. "I was told it belonged… to Queen Susan –"

She scoffed. "Yes, it belongs to Susan." She muttered as she ate another bowl of soup. "Nikabrik, the others – where are they?"

"We sent word for them to assemble." Trufflehunter said.

"I bet they heard the horn anyways." She replied.

Trufflehunter nodded and fell silent. "We leave first thing in the morning. You need to rest." He said to her.

"I am fine." She muttered and then she moved to sit outside.

Caspian looked around at them. "Am I imagining her contempt?" He asked.

"Nope." Nikabrik said. "It's genuine, she hates you."

He walked outside and found her sitting against the stump staring at the lightening sky, soon they would leave to find the Narnians. "If I have wronged you." He said. "I apologize –"

"It isn't you." She said. "It is all of you."

He sat beside her.

"How well do you know your history?" She asked as she looked at him.

"Doctor Cornelius tried to tell me of Narnian History."

"Then he has told you that I am Eliza Soothsayer." She said.

"Yes."

"I despise your grandsire, the man that invaded Narnia while I was protecting her." She sat up. "Caspian I."

He fell silent. "I am not like them." He said after a moment of silence.

"I know." She said. "It's just… learning your name –" She looked at him. "And you resemble him greatly… except he was arrogant… cruel…"

He remembered the necklace and he took it off and handed it to her. "Here, I kept it safe."

"I knew I could trust you." She said as she placed it about her neck. "I was afraid Miraz would take it…" She touched the stone. "It is very precious to me."

"The gold within it – it swirls about."

"Yes." She said gently. "It was a gift from Father Christmas."

He remained silent.

"We should go inside." She said. "You will need whatever strength you have for when you meet the others." She got up and then waited for him to get up. Together they entered the house again and at Trufflehunter's urging they slept briefly before having to leave again a couple of hours later.


	10. Chapter 10: Narnians

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

Also, a quick note. I would like to thank and acknowledge everyone who has reviewed, put this story in their favorites and/or Alerts... I would also like to ask for you other readers to review as well, I would like to know what your opinion is on the story and the Characters and just how the story is flowing... I'm afraid it's going too fast... what do you think? Also, you can prevent a cliched character if there is something I messed up on! So yeah, I shall let you read now.

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The woods were unfamiliar to Eliza, the ferns were new, and everything seemed to grow closely together now. The earth no longer held the familiar hum of life like it used to… There were no Dryads walking about, no Fauns running happily, singing songs of summer, and sunsets.

Beside her Caspian walked, he kept glancing over at her; she let out a sigh as she looked over at him. "What is it?"

"Those are mine." He said. "Were…"

She looked down at the clothes she was wearing. "Your teacher gave them to me." She said. She was tall so the shirt did not hang past her hips, over it she had a belt that held the Telmarine rapier, and the breeches hit her knees, she wore boots that belonged to some soldier that had small feet.

She was, by no means, dainty and small. Something a lot of the girls in England made fun of, and she was proud of it. "So I will not be offering them back.

He chuckled and then frowned.

Eliza nodded and put her hands on her hips as he spoke out. "I can hear you."

Eliza chuckled. "I didn't want to say anything, they are Narnians, you know." She said as Nikabrik and Trufflehunter appeared.

"I just think we should wait for the Kings and Queens, if Eliza is here – they are bound to come!"

"You should have said something before." Eliza said. Caspian rolled his eyes and continued walking.

Eliza shrugged and followed the prince.

"Fine, go then! See if the others will be as understanding." Trufflehunter yelled out. "With or without Soothsayer, they may not listen."

"Or maybe I'll come with you. I want to see you explain things to the Minotaurs." Nikabrik said with a smirk.

Eliza turned. "Are they still sour?"

"As bitter as ever." Nikabrik said gleefully. "They were never happy about that alliance you made and you know it."

She ran a hand over her face. "But are they loyal?"

"Maybe." Nikabrik smirked.

Caspian looked between them. "Minotaurs… they're real?"

"And very bad tempered." Trufflehunter said.

Eliza grumbled. "And huge…"

"What about centaurs, do they still exist?" Caspian asked.

"Well, the centaurs will probably fight on your side. Especially with Eliza here." Trufflehunter said. "She was a good friend of the Centaurs, but there's no telling what the others will do."

Her memory went back to Orius; she could almost hear him calling her 'Little Foal.'

"What about Aslan?" Caspian asked cautiously, as if testing the waters.

This made the three stop and stare at each other, Eliza suspiciously turned to him. "How much do you know about us?" She asked.

"And why do you know so much about us?" Nikabrik asked.

"Stories."

"Wait a minute… Your father told you stories?" Trufflehunter asked. "About Narnia?"

"No, my professor… Listen, I am sorry. These are not the kinds of questions you should be asking." He said before walking away from them.

The Professor was the man that had snuck her out of the castle. She walked after Caspian and then she heard Trufflehunter sniffing the air.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.

"Human."

"Them?" Nikabrik gestured to Eliza and Caspian.

"No, them!" He yelled as he pointed at the oncoming Telmarines. Eliza unsheathed the sword and stared at them all as they released arrows their way.

"RUN!" Trufflehunter yelled.

Eliza would have run at the Telmarines but Caspian appeared out of nowhere and ran at her, making sure she was over his shoulder before he sprinted off.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She yelled at him.

"It's one of you against fifty of them." He said. "Soothsayer or not, I'm not going to let you into that mess –"

She saw Trufflehunter get shot. "TRUFFLEHUNTER!" She shoved her elbow into the back of his head, he winced and dropped her; she fell to the ground and scrabbled her way towards the badger as Caspian ran to him. He handed Caspian the horn.

"Take it and go! It's more important than I am!" She got up and ran into the fray, stabbing a Telmarine in the face, he fell to the ground and suddenly a soldier that was about to attack her fell to the ground by some unseen force.

"Eliza!" Caspian yelled.

"GO!" She called back as she locked blades with another soldier, within moments he was on the ground; blood splashed the side of Eliza's face.

Caspian realized in that moment that Eliza really was the person they said she was, and that she had fought many wars before.

She spotted a tiny blur of brown zoom around as more soldiers fell; soon all that was left was the soldier she was fighting before he too fell to her blade.

She turned and saw Caspian fall to the ground. She wiped blood out of her eye as she ran over to make sure this unnatural force would not kill the prince.

"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!" She squinted her eyes and saw that it was a mouse.

"You are a mouse." Caspian said.

"I was hoping for something a little more original…" He sighed. "Come on, pick up your sword –"

"Are you hurt?" Trufflehunter asked as Nikabrik helped him over to her.

"I'm fine." She replied as she rolled up her sleeved, the heat in the forest was making sweat roll down the side of her face.

"So much blood…"

"None of it is mine." She replied as she ran her sleeve across her forehead. "Who is that?"

"Reepicheep, it might be wise to stop him before he harms your prince."

"Reepicheep, stay your blade!" Trufflehunter yelled.

She heard movement in the woods. She walked around them and peered through the trees.

"Eliza?" Trufflehunter asked.

"I thought I saw –" She shook her head. "It's nothing…"

"Do you have a reason for your untimely interruption?" Reepicheep asked.

"He doesn't, go ahead."

"He is the one that blew the horn!" Trufflehunter said.

"Then let him bring it forward." The voice was deep, familiar. She turned around and saw Centaurs; it could not be Orius because he would have been thousands of years old. Maybe he was of his sons. "This is the reason we have gathered." He added.

"We must not convene here." Eliza said. "It is too prone to Telmarines."

"What do you suggest, Silvertongue?" The Centaur said.

She was a bit surprised that he knew her. She regained her composure and then she looked around. "The Dancing Lawn." She said. "It was deep in the woods, the Fauns used to dance there in the days of old – is it still there?"

"Aye." He replied.

She nodded and helped Caspian up. "Then it is there we will meet with the Narnians, someone send word to them so they knew where to meet us."

He nodded and sent one of the Centaurs that was with him. She braided her hair and then she flung it back as she fell into step with the Centaur. "What is your name?" She asked.

"Glenstorm." He replied.

"You remind me of a Centaur I used to know." She said.

"Orius, he is the Great Grandsire of our clan." He replied.

She paused as she looked up at him. "Your great grandsire…" She whispered.

"That is why you are known to us, Silvertongue." He replied.

She smiled gently and fell into step with him again.

She found a stream to wash the blood and grime off her face and arms, Caspian crouched down beside her and stared at her.

"What?" She asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

"You really are Soothsayer." He said.

"No, I was lying." She said with the roll of her eyes.

"I am sorry." He said. "I was not sure – but then I saw you fight – surely a young woman of your age would not have such skill unless –"

"Unless she's been through it before." She nodded as she cupped water and put it on her head as she washed chunks of blood out of her hair.

"Battle is messy." She mused. "No matter how big or small it is." She sat up, her hair dripping water as she looked at him. "You have a battle ahead of you, and it is not the one that will be fought against your uncle." She said as she squeezed at her hair. "Rather the one you will face tonight."

"Are the Narnians that difficult?" He asked warily.

"They are angry." She replied. "They have been forced into hiding by your people – and they have been let down by me… I do not doubt they will bear anger towards me." She let out a small sigh she then looked at Caspian again. "I hope that their anger doesn't blind them to listen to someone who cares."

He didn't say anything.

"The Minotaurs will try to eat you alive." She said. "But don't worry. I won't let them."

He looked at her, she smirked as she got up, she then held out her hand to him. He grasped it and she hoisted him up.

They continued their trudging through the woods; it was nightfall when they reached the Dancing Lawn. Eliza made sure that Caspian was out of sight as the Narnians joined them, even she remained out of sight.

The prince noticed that she was hiding him. "You are afraid of your people." He said quietly.

"I was never a monarch." She replied. "I kept the castle safe – offered good counsel, and I was willing to die for them – but before I could – I vanished… Vanished in a battle I could have won – they will be angry with me."

"I think your fear is baseless." He said. "I do not doubt that Nikabrik or Glenstorm would have killed you if it were true." He stood up. "I will face the Narnians, and you will do it with me."

He held out his hand to her. She frowned as she looked down at it before she looked up at him again.

"All I ask of you is to trust me." He said. "I cannot do this alone – and you know them – I do not."

She let out a sigh before she put her clammy hand in his cool one as he led her out into the Lawn. The Narnians were yelling angrily as Nikabrik egged them on.

"All this horn proves it that they've stolen yet another think from us!" He yelled.

"I did not steal anything!" Caspian yelled as he released Eliza's hand.

"Didn't steal anything? Shall we list the things the Telmarines have taken?" A Minotaur yelled angrily.

"Our homes!" A Centaur yelled.

"Our Freedom!" A Faun yelled out.

"You would hold me accountable for all the crimes of my people?" Caspian asked loudly.

"Accountable… and punishable!" Nikabrik yelled, drawing yells from the Narnians.

Reepicheep spoke up. "That's words from you, dwarf. Or have you forgotten that it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?"

"And I'd gladly do it again if it would rid us of these barbarians!" Nikabrik yelled.

"ENOUGH!" Eliza yelled, unable to take all this yelling around her, speech of the White Witch had moved her to speak. They all fell silent. "Once, I was known as a Soothsayer." She said. "I would not speak unless I was asked to give counsel – and Aslan's bidding I was to give only one sort of counsel… Good counsel!" She walked around. "It makes my heart ache to hear you all toss the name of that wretched usurper so easily about as if she did not leave a trail of pain and devastation in these lands!" She shook her head. "Shame on you, Nikabrik, to even think of siding with her once more!"

The Dwarf scowled at her.

She looked around as she walked amongst the Narnians. "I spent Twenty years amongst your grandsires in Cair Paravel, and I have marched to many a war alongside them, they would be so ashamed to see you all here." She pointed to Caspian. "Do you mean to ask him to go against Aslan?"

"Some of you may have forgotten, but we badgers remember well, that Narnia was never right except when a son of Adam was king." Trufflehunter said.

"He's a Telmarine! Why would we want him as our king?" Nikabrik yelled out. "We're better off with bigmouth here on the throne! At least she's one of us!"

"I am not allowed to reign as Queen." She spat.

"And because I can help you." Caspian said. "Beyond these woods, I am a prince. Telmarine throne is rightfully mine. Help me claim it, and I can bring peace between us."

"It is true." Glenstorm said as he spoke up after a moment of silence. "The time is ripe, I watch the skies, for it is mine to watch as it is yours to remember, badger. Tarva the Lord of Victory, and Alambil the Lady of Peace have met, and here a son of Adam has come forth to offer us back our freedom."

A squirrel scurried to Caspian. "Is it possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?"

"Two days ago," Caspian started. "I didn't believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarfs, or centaurs. Yet, here you are… in strength in numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. Whether this horn is magic or not, it brought us together. And together, we have a chance to take back what is ours." He saw that Eliza was smiling.

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords." Glenstorm said.

"And we offer you our lives… unreservedly." Reepicheep said with a bow.

Eliza bowed to him as well.

"The Telmarine army will not be far behind, sire." Trufflehunter said.

"If we are to be ready for them, we must hurry to find soldiers and weapons. I am sure they will be here soon." Caspian said.

"We will need a place to gather our numbers." Eliza said. "Fortify ourselves… ready for war."

"I know of a place." Reepicheep said. "I think it will please you greatly."

They nodded and followed him and Glenstorm, Eliza didn't know where they would be taking them, but she had a feeling Nostalgia would his wherever it was.


	11. Chapter 11: Siblings

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I want to thank **Calyn **who pointed out the difference between Council and Counsel... Usually I tend to research everything so I have no idea what I let that one slip X-D

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The moment she arrived, she knew the place would have strong ties to Aslan; it was a mountain that looked to be hollowed out with a doorway.

"What is this place?" She asked.

Reepicheep had climbed onto her shoulder as they journeyed. "It is called Aslan's How." He replied.

She looked at Caspian and grabbed a torch from a Faun as she went inside.

The area was massive, it would be able to hold many and if filled with provisions, it would be a perfect stronghold.

Her attention was drawn to a hallway of sorts. She walked to it and stopped to stare up at the walls when she noticed some color on them.

Frescos.

She noticed Susan, Peter, Lucy, and Edmund standing by the lamppost. She could hear voices in the room outside.

"You are not here?" Caspian's voice asked.

She smiled gently. "I never was a great as the Kings and Queens." She said as she gently touched their image. "It is like having four older siblings that overshadowed everything you ever did."

He was silent.

"I was as old as Queen Lucy." She explained. "When I first entered Narnia – I was ten, she was about my age…" She walked down the hallway. "Aslan never meant for me to be a Queen." She said with a gentle smile. "But I was there to help them be the Kings and Queens they were supposed to be."

He followed her and saw her smell her fingertips, they had black on them. She tilted her torch down. "Do the same beside you." She instructed and he obeyed.

The room was lit up with flames all around and she saw it.

The Stone Table, broken in half – she turned and saw Aslan carved in stone.

She sat down and stared up at it. Caspian stared up at the carving and then he sat beside her. "Do you think he will come?" He asked.

"I don't know." She whispered. "Sometimes he leaves us in the dark to try and figure things out ourselves… but then he arrives like morning after a long night… and everything makes sense again." She looked at him. "I am never sure of anything." She said. "Save for what I was sure about Aslan."

He studied her face a bit before getting up. "How do we find weapons for our army?" He asked. "If anyone arrives."

"My Lord." She said with a smirk. "Your uncle had the biggest army in the area… do you think he will mind if we borrowed from him?"

An impish grin made its way onto his face. "Yes he would."

She got up and laughed. "Well then, it would annoy him beyond doubt if we were to raid his weapons – right under his men's nose!"

He looked at her. "And what have you in mind, Soothsayer?"

She grinned. "Well, I think it's time we annoy your uncle to no end."

"I agree." He said.

And that is how they found themselves in the woods. Eliza was leading a group of Fauns and Dwarves on foot, she raised her fist over her head, calling for their attention; they braced themselves. With a swift motion she let them know that they were to dispatch anyone who got into their way.

They nodded.

She then gestured to her torso, letting them know to take whatever armor they could find. She finally peered through the bushed and saw the guard falling to the ground. She had studied the camp all day and she had strategically planned out the ambush with Caspian and Glenstorm.

She could see Caspian through the gloom, he waved a red cloth and she nodded to her group as they stealthily and silently ran into the camp, Caspian's men joined them as they knocked out several men on their way. They then grabbed all the weapons before running back into the woods, the only sign they had been there at all were the fallen guards and the taunting note Caspian left behind.

They dropped the weapons on the ground in a clearing. Caspian looked at Eliza. "I want you to take them back to the How." He said. "Make sure everything is settled – we are to meet more Narnians further in the woods."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded and then looked at a Centaur. "Wolfsbane will guard you."

She wanted to say something but she remained silent. She was not the one who he should be worrying about. "And you?" She asked.

"I will be with him, Silvertongue." Glenstorm said.

She nodded. "The price on your head is worth so much more than mine, young prince." She said as she grabbed a good number of swords.

He gave her an odd look before chuckling and leaving her with the others.

They were able to haul everything back to the How, Fauns and Centaurs were working on making the weapons look Narnian, it was amazing how fast they worked – their craft was unparalleled.

She had managed to steal a leather vest from the raid, with her memory of working with leather in her spare time when she was younger, she was able to adjust it to fit her before placing it over the shirt the Professor had given her, she then cut off the sleeves of the shirt so that it would not hand past her elbows, that was it would be easier for her to work, she then fixed her braid and joined the other Narnians.

"How are the provisions?" She asked as she carried a saddle a Faun had worked on.

"We are running low, My Lady." Another Faun replied. "And we have not yet sorted through what you have brought."

"More will arrive with the Prince." She said. "And the inner halls?"

"The Dwarves are excellent miners." A Centaur said. "Soon we will be able to hide all the Narnians if we must."

She nodded and patted a horse on its side. "Any news of Archenland?" She asked.

"Our messengers cannot get through." Wolfsbane replied.

"A pity." She said. "Once he had good relation with them." She let out a sigh.

Someone handed her a water skin and she gratefully drank from it. "Who is on watch tonight?" She asked.

"It was supposed to be the Prince." Wolfsbane said. "But he has gone –"

"Then I shall do it." She said before leaving them.

The night air was cool, her hand reached back and she could feel the scars marring her back. She frowned and then sat against the stone as she stared out into the night.

Morning came slowly, too slowly for Eliza, but something caught her eye in the distance.

Caspian was back, and he was not alone.

She excitedly ran inside and Wolfsbane was curious. "What is it, my Lady?"

"The Kings and Queens have returned." She said.

Outside Caspian saw the welcome and was not very enthused about it. He assumed Eliza had something to do with it. As if confirming his suspicions she sprinted out.

"… Elly?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Lu? LU!"

Lucy barreled right into Eliza and then looked up at her in awe. "You're a grown-up!" She said.

Eliza laughed. "Not quite." She smiled. "Why are you so short?"

"I'm not short, _I'm_ 11!" She said.

"_I'm_ 19."

"How can you be here?" Peter asked.

"I just… appeared." She said. She could see Caspian's face but she said nothing at the expression he wore. She pulled Edmund into a headlock as she ground her knuckles into the top of his head.

Susan regarded her a bit coolly before hugging her. "I've missed you so." Susan said.

Eliza smiled and then hugged Peter. "You do not know how happy I am to see you all again."

"So… you're older than us now…" Lucy said.

"Oh, Lu – I was always older than you." She smirked.

"Only by half a year!" She said as she puffed out her cheeks.

Eliza smiled gently and patted Lucy's head.

They followed Caspian into the How, the Fauns and Centaurs were still working on the weapons. "It may not be what you are used to, but it is defensible." He said to the siblings.

Eliza smiled as she watched them walk off to inspect the place.

"My Lady." A Faun said.

"Yes?" She asked.

"We have something for you." He said as he led her towards one of the work benches set up near the back of the How's main cavern. She saw a sword in the fashion of the swords of the old days.

"You made this." She said.

"We saw you fighting with those foils Telmarines call swords." Another Faun said.

She smiled as she grasped it, she looked at them. "Thank you, finally, a decent sword!" She smiled and replaced its sheath with the rapier at her hip; she then tossed the rapier into the heap and thanked them once more before joining the others. Caspian walked out of the Hallway, he looked a bit upset – if anything a bit annoyed.

"Where they always like that?" He asked as he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

"Peter and Susan? Yes." She nodded. "I had to live with them for twenty years."

He gave her a look.

She shook her head as they walked together. "They were the greatest Kings and Queens Narnia ever knew." She said as they sat outside, leaning against the How. "A bit of Arrogance might be warranted."

He remained silent.

"I do not think you will remain humble once you are king." She said as she looked at him.

"I will." He said as he looked ahead.

"I will be amazed if you are." She said with a grin.

"I will try not to be arrogant." He said.

She stared at the plains before them as she silently mused about the situation they were in. They were now probably well provisioned, they had weapons… and their numbers were growing.

"Eliza?" He asked.

"Yes." She said as she pulled out of her reverie.

"You are thinking about the army again." He said.

"How do you have the ability to know that?" She asked with an annoyed scowl that only increased when she saw his amused smile.

"You have a calculating look on your face." He replied simply.

She rolled her eyes as she looked away.

"Eliza?"

"I swear I'm not thinking about the army now." She said dryly.

"When we met, you hated me." He said.

"I didn't hate you – I hated your name." She replied.

"But you were wary of me." He said.

"Yes, I was." She nodded in agreement.

He looked at her. "Are we friends?" He asked.

She frowned and looked at him. "I guess…" She said. "I guess we are. We're certainly not enemies."

He chuckled and nodded. "Thank goodness for that then, you are one person I would not want as en enemy."

She smiled gently then frowned. "I have to go inside to see to the others." She said as she got up.

"You do not look to happy about it." He said.

"It is… complicated." She said. "My relationship with them…" She pulled him up. "I spent so much time around them – with them… That they were more than just my friends – they were my family… and yet…"

"Yet they were always greater than you." He said. "Everything you did was overshadowed by their greatness."

She nodded. "Yes." She smiled sadly. "It's selfish, I know." She shrugged. "But isn't that how it goes when you have siblings?"

"I don't know." He said.

She looked at him. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay… Elly." He said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that."

"I'm sorry, it shocked me to hear it when Queen Lucy said it." He said. "To imagine you… having a… dare I say it – a cute nickname."

"Ha-ha." She said and then she lightly punched his arm. "You are so funny."

He smiled gently her away as they walked inside; Lucy was instantly at Eliza's side. "Elly." She said. "Glenstorm said you were here longer than we were when we left!" She frowned. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She looked up at the other three and she shrugged. "You guys have enough on your plate without me adding things to it."

"You were tortured." Peter said.

She stiffened up and then she looked down at Lucy who was staring up at her. Caspian noticed that Eliza didn't look like she wanted to talk about it so he stepped in. "Eliza endured pain and torture for the Narnians and Aslan." He said. "And she never spoke a thing about the Narnians – However it was unfair because she didn't know where they were hiding." He looked at Eliza who had an odd look in her eyes.

"My Lords and my Ladies!" A faun yelled out. "A Telmarine scout!"

They all looked up. "What?"

"I saw him a moment ago!" He said.

"I will ride out and make sure that there are none with him." Eliza said. "Glenstorm, will you ride out with me?"

"Yes, my lady." He said with a bow.

They went to the Stone Table and waited for Eliza. She walked in a short while later, there was a splatter of blood on her forearm and cheek.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked as she ran over to her.

"I'm fine." She said. "That soldier isn't though."

"How many did you find?" Caspian asked.

"Three." She replied. "Glenstorm took out one, I took the other one, but the third got away – not before I got in a few punches, though." She sat on a block. "I'm sorry."

Peter ran a hand over his face as he let out a sigh. "It's only a mater of time… Miraz' men and war machines are on their way –" He then looked like something had dawned on him. "That means those same men aren't protecting his castle."

"What do you propose we do, Sire?" Reepicheep asked.

"We—" Caspian started.

"Our—" Peter started at the same time.

Peter gave Caspian a look and he fell silent, Eliza grasped his hand briefly before letting go.

"Our only hope is to strike before they strike us." Peter said.

"But that's crazy; no one has ever taken that castle." Caspian said.

"It's true, I've had a sprint through the castle –" Peter noticed Eliza and Caspian exchanged looks as if there was a memory the two shared that amused them. "I noticed the walls were thick – tall… it is impossible."

"There's always a first time." Peter said.

"We'll have the element of surprise." Trumpkin said, he had returned with the siblings.

"But we have the advantage here." Caspian said.

"We know the land – its secrets – we can make it work for us." Eliza agreed.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely." Susan added.

"I, for one, feel safer underground." Trufflehunter said.

"Look, I appreciate what you've done, but this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb." Peter said to Caspian, he was avoiding looking at Eliza who was scowling up at him.

"Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart, they'll just starve us out." Edmund said.

"We could collect nuts!" The Squirrel from before said.

"Oh yes, and throw them at the Telmarines!" Reepicheep said. "… Shut up!" He then turned to Peter. "I think you know where I stand on this, Sire."

Peter turned to Glenstorm. "If I can get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

"Or die trying, my liege." Glenstorm said.

"That's what I'm worried about."

"Sorry?" Peter said.

"Well, you're all acting like there are only two options: Dying here, or dying there." Lucy said.

"I'm not sure you've really been listening, Lu." Peter said.

"No, you're not listening. Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?" Lucy said.

"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough." Peter said.

Eliza finally got up. "You are deliberately avoiding looking my way Peter." She said. "You will not ask for my counsel because you already know what I will say."

He looked at her. "Eliza – you don't understand –"

"What don't I understand?" She asked. "In the years I spent defending Cair Paravel without you – what don't I understand?"

He let out a sigh. "Eliza –"

"If you go it is suicide." She said. "You will cause needless death amongst the Narnians."

She noticed they had begun to leave the room to leave her and Peter alone.

Outside they could hear angry yelling and raised voices from within the room.

Inside she paced angrily. Peter was glaring at her as she turned a harsh glare at him. "You have no idea what it's like." She said. "To always be second fiddle to you guys – how much it hurt that the only thing I could do was advise you to do something – and how much more it hurt when you chose to ignore me." She frowned; her face was red from the yelling that had been doing. "You don't know what it is like to be a younger sibling." She shook her head. "Even when you were gone – it was always 'what would the Kings and Queens do?' It's hard to live up to that."

He looked at her; she sat down as she shook her head. "Aslan assigned me to give you Counsel." She said. "He told me to direct you – to show you the way to being good monarchs – to admonish you when you are about to do something foolish – something wrong…" She looked up at him. "How am I supposed to do that when you don't want to listen?"

He let out a sigh.

She got up and she walked to him. "Peter, you are my brother… Won't you listen to me?"

"They tortured you." He said as he stared at her scarred face. "Every time I look at those scars – do you really think I'm not going to punish Miraz for such a great offense?"

"This isn't about me." She said.

"Those scars are physical." He said. "The scars the Narnians have may not be as visible – but they are there."

This made her look at him; tears seemed to be welling in her eyes. "But you guys can't go." She said. "It'll be murder –"

"We've got to try, Elly." He said. "Are you with us?"

She let out a sigh but then she shook her head. "No, I'm not."

His face fell. "El."

"I'm not going back to that place unless we can insure Miraz dies… Not if there is a chance of killing him." She said as she lifted her chin. "I will stay here in case we are not safe."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Eliza…"

"Go." She said quietly. "But get home safely."

He nodded and left her.

She stared up at Aslan and she shook her head. "I tried, and you know I did." She frowned. "I'm sorry I could not do it."

She walked out; it felt like the carving was staring at her, blaming her for not being able to stop the oncoming slaughter.

She walked outside and saw Griffins waiting for them. Caspian looked over at Eliza as she pulled Lucy back away from Susan.

"You don't have to go!" Lucy cried out.

"Do you have a plan of attack?" Eliza asked.

Edmund nodded and stood beside her. "You're staying?"

She nodded. "I'm holding the fort." She said quietly.

He nodded.

Caspian walked up to her and Eliza released Lucy to go to her brothers. "Thank you for your voice." He said. "It is a pity they wouldn't listen."

She smiled sadly. "Peter makes a very good argument." She said with a pathetic shrug. "Looks like my advice isn't needed anymore."

"Never." He said and then let out a sigh.

She hesitated a bit and then hugged him. "Make sure you all come back in one piece." She said gently.

He wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug as he nodded. "We will try."

She stepped away and shuffled awkwardly, she saw Edmund smirking her way; she scowled and then punched him in the arm.

"Ow! What's that for! I'm the one who's about to go to battle!"

"That's for being a snarky prat." She replied. She then hugged him tightly. "Be sure to get back, I think I'd go crazy if you didn't."

He patted her shoulder and smiled. They watched them leave; Lucy hugged herself as they watched them disappear into the night. "It's going to be a long night." Eliza said gently. "Come on."


	12. Chapter 12: War

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, and favorited or Alerted this story... I would like to know what you all think about my writing style, and the story flow so review please!

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Lucy ran her hands over the scars delicately as she stared up into Eliza's face, the older girl had fallen asleep, or she was pretending – Lucy knew Eliza never truly slept when they were waiting for something.

"Does it hurt?" She asked gently.

Eliza let out a silent sigh. "No." She said quietly. "Am I ugly?"

"No." Lucy said.

Eliza opened tired eyes as she watched Lucy pull out the cordial.

"I don't think it'll work." She said gently.

She looked a bit dejected. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." Eliza said gently. "Really."

Lucy curled up against Eliza's side. "What's it like to grow up?" She asked.

"Boring… really boring." She said. "And people just like to watch you."

"Watch you?"

"Yes." She replied. "Watch you grow up, watch you mess up – watch you fall." She ran her fingers lightly through Lucy's hair. "I did something stupid before I came here."

"That is?" She asked.

"People were visiting up because my grandmother died… and – I called everyone a liar." She said.

"Eliza!"

"I know, but it's true!" She said.

"Just because it is you don't say it." Lucy said, she then giggled. "Where they horrified?"

"Oh yes, absolutely mortified." She replied.

"Good." Lucy said.

They fell into silence, Lucy let out a quiet sigh. "Do you think they're okay?"

Eliza nodded. "Without a doubt…" She whispered.

They stared at the carving of Aslan, and before long Lucy fell asleep, curled up against Eliza. She continued to stare up at Aslan's image, in her mind she recalled the last time she saw him. On the beach – when he told her of her duty.

'I was so young then.' She mused silently. 'So… Naïve.'

"My Lady?" A Faun asked as she entered the room.

"What is it Lilly?" She asked gently.

"Scout reports, the area is secure for now." She replied.

"Alert me when the Kings and Queen return." She said after a length of silence. "Thank you."

The Faun bowed before leaving. She gently moved Lucy so that she could lie on the ground; she put her cloak under Lucy while adjusting the girl's cloak over her. Once she was sure Lucy was fine she crossed her arms over her chest and shut her eyes as she tried to recall the last time she slept.

She slipped into a dreamless slumber that was interrupted by a grumpy Dwarf she had gotten on the bad side of several times; his name was Ginash and he slapped his axe against her foot. She jolted awake with a gasp and lifted her fist to attack whoever it was that had awakened her, she then looked over at Lucy who was stirring. She blinked and saw Nikabrik. "Oh, it's you." She muttered as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "The hell do you want?" She grumbled.

"They're back." He said gruffly before stomping off.

Lucy giggled at the state Eliza was in. She stretched out her sore back, a small series of pops and cracks were followed with a sigh. "I hate mornings." She muttered as she got up. "Let's go meet them, shall we?"

Lucy got up and followed Eliza outside; they could hear noises – yelling. They ran out and saw Peter and Caspian, both looked very unhappy. Eliza saw that Caspian's arm was hurt.

"What happened?" Lucy asked.

"Ask him." Peter spat as he pointed at Caspian.

"Me? You could have called it off. There was still time." Caspian said.

"No there wasn't thanks to you. If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now." Peter said angrily.

"And, if you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!" Caspian yelled.

"You called us, remember?" Peter sneered.

"My first mistake." Caspian spat.

"No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people." Peter said.

"Hey!" Caspian yelled angrily. "I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

"You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to it than Miraz does! You, him, your father… Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"

"Peter stop!" Eliza yelled.

"You should hate him most!" He yelled at her. "But you – you let them in!"

She frowned; they all looked up as Caspian drew his sword and yelled as he attacked Peter who did the same.

"Stop it!" Edmund yelled.

Glenstorm was carrying an injured Trumpkin; Lucy rushed off to him to help him.

"What are you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough." Trumpkin said.

Eliza shook her head as she passed Peter, she went to Caspian. "Come on, let's clean out that cut and take care of it." She said.

They sat in the Stone Table room as she stared at the cut. "You're lucky it avoided the bone." She said. "Or you would have blood poisoning." She said. She looked up at him. "What happened? You are upset…"

"I discovered that Miraz murdered my father." He said.

She didn't know what to say in times like this, so she remained silent. She spoke up again after a while as she bandaged his arm. "Why were you late?" She asked.

"I… went to save the Professor – he is here… and then – I went to see Miraz…" He fell silent.

She stared at his arm as she rolled down his sleeve. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.

He nodded and watched as her hands grasped his. "I need to go check on the others – if you need anything just call." She got up.

He nodded and watched as she left. She carried the spare bandages with her as she walked out into the main cavern, Peter was sitting to the side and he got up when he saw her walk in.

She frowned when he followed her as she went to tend to a Minotaur. "I said nothing because I know what you are like when you are angry." She muttered as she cleaned the wound. "But what you said –" She shook her head.

"Eliza – I really didn't mean –"

"You have no idea how hard Caspian has tried to keep this up." She said. "When he first gathered us all – no one liked him – hell… I hated him." She shook her head.

"Caspian…" Peter said.

"I really could care less when you snap at me – it happened a lot when I said something you didn't particularly like – like withdrawing our forces from Calormen that one year… So your angry yells – and your pouting – and your frustration has no effect on me." She patted the Minotaur's shoulder before moving on to a Griffin who had an injured wing. "If you plan on apologizing to me – you should save it and apologize to him."

Peter studied her face. "You must really like him." He said.

She rolled her eyes but her cheeks tinged pink. "What does that have to do with anything?" She asked.

"Remember that guy from Archenland?" He asked.

"Not the same."

"Exactly the same." He said.

"I am wiser."

"You are 19." He responded. She kicked his knees out from under him and he was sent sprawling to the ground. He winced and sat up. "Am I forgiven?" He asked.

"I hate you." She muttered as she fixed the Griffin's wing.

"I love you too Elly." He said as he patted her head.

"I'm not younger than you anymore – stop treating me like I am!" She said. She got up and suddenly she convulsed, her hand going to her pendant. The gold within the ruby consumed the stone.

"Eliza?"

"It's hot." She whispered. "I can't take it off!"

"What -?"

"The frost – Aslan is fighting off the frost –" the back of her neck was burning, the smell of burning flesh filled the cavern.

"Eliza!" Lucy yelled.

"It was always warm when… _She_ was around." She whispered.

Peter's eyes widened before he ran off. Sweat was rolling off her face and dripping onto the floor as the pendant continued to blaze around her neck, the heat was unbearably hot and her flesh was sizzling on the back of her neck. Professor Cornelius was instantly at her side. "We must get her outside." He said. "Away from here."

Glenstorm carried her and then they took her to a ledge, the further away she was from the room – the cooler the necklace got – until it cooled down completely.

She tore it off and exposed her skin to the air. "What happened?" The Professor asked.

"I think the Spirit of Aslan has been put into this pendant." She replied. "It is warm whenever he is near – and when the White Witch was around… it was always warm…" She felt him put something cool on her skin. "I would assume so black magic has been here –"

"Forgive me." Caspian said as he burst out to join them.

"What –"

He scooped her up and began to inspect her wound. "Forgive me!"

"I don't understand what you are apologizing for." She said.

He began to tell her about what Nikabrik had done – what he had almost done…

"So the White Witch was here." She said as he sat her down.

He grasped her pendant. "It is cool." He said.

"He was angry." She replied as he handed it back to her. She rolled her neck. "What is this miracle medicine you are using?" She asked.

"Fire Flower extract." He said. "The same as the Cordial of Queen Lucy – just not as potent I fear – it has left you with scars."

"Y-You were the kind person that took care of me?" She asked.

He smiled sadly. "I tried my best."

"Thank you anyways." She said as she put the necklace back on.

They sat in silence for a while. "Why did you never tell me about my father?" Caspian asked.

"My mother was a black dwarf from the northern mountains. I risked my life all these years so that one day you might be a better king than those before you." He said.

"Then I have failed you." Caspian said sadly

"Everything I told you, everything I didn't… It was only because I believe in you." Cornelius said, he smiled gently at Caspian. "You have a chance to become the most noble contradiction in history: The Telmarine who saved Narnia." He looked up at Eliza. "Maybe then it will redeem you in Lady Eliza's eyes."

"He has been…" Eliza replied.

She looked up to the horizon and then she backed away. "ED!"

He joined them. "What is it?" He asked.

Caspian got up and was at Eliza's side. "They are here." He said.

"Ed, go get Peter." She said.

Peter, Susan, and Lucy joined them a moment later and they all saw the Telmarine army nearing them.

"We need Aslan." Eliza said quietly.

Lucy looked up at Peter. "I have to go into the forest."

They all met up in the Stone Table room. "We should send Lucy in search of Aslan." Peter said.

"Into the forest?" Caspian asked.

Peter nodded.

"Cakes and kettledrums!" Trumpkin exclaimed. "That's your next big plan? Sending a little girl alone into the darkest parts of the forest alone?"

"It's our only chance." Peter said.

"And she won't be alone." Susan added.

"Haven't enough of us died already?" Trumpkin asked, he sounded pained.

"Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I." Trufflehunter said.

"For Aslan." Reepicheep said.

"For Aslan!" The Bear exclaimed.

"I'm going with you." Trumpkin said.

"No, we need you here." Lucy said.

"I will be going with them." Eliza said. "I wouldn't send Lucy and Susan alone into the woods. You need to stay here to help hold them off until we are back."

"If I may…" Caspian said as he stepped forward. "Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer. But as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time." He said.

Peter thought about this for a moment. "Edmund –"

"Yeah." He said as he left the room.

Caspian turned to Eliza. "Are you sure?" He asked her. "About leaving?"

She nodded. "You all will be needed here – I feel like I should be out there looking for Aslan with Lucy." She put a hand to her pendant. "It's getting warmer."

"Hot?" He asked.

"Just warm, a comforting warm… he is ready for us to find him." She said.

A while later Eliza was strapping on her belt, she had leather armguards on as she joined Lucy and Susan. Caspian followed her and they both led horses. She patted the horse that was with her and watched as Susan got into the saddle of Caspian's horse. Caspian helped Lucy up so that she sat with her sister.

"Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands." He said.

"Or hooves." Lucy said with a smile.

Eliza chuckled at the lame joke before turning to Caspian who was looking at her. "Good luck, all of you." He said.

She smiled gently as she got into her saddle, he grasped her hand. "Ride swiftly." He said.

"Be safe." She replied.

He hesitated and held out the horn to Susan. "Maybe it is time you has this back…" He said.

"Why don't you hold onto it? You might need to call me again." Susan said.

He held it back and Eliza rolled her eyes, he patted her knee before slapping the flank of her horse, jolting it into racing off, Destier followed closely with Susan and Lucy.

The woods felt as still as ever as they rode forward. She heard noises in the woods. "Telmarines!" Eliza cried out.

"They've seen us!" Lucy yelled out in dismay.

Eliza stopped her horse as Susan did and prepared to fight.

"El, no – you go with Lu." Susan said.

"What? No way!" She said.

"You should be with her when she finds Aslan!" She yelled at Eliza.

She nodded and replaced Susan behind Lucy. "Be safe." She said to Susan before galloping off into the woods.

"WE'VE GOT TO GO BACK!" Lucy cried out.

"She'll be fine." Eliza said. "I promise."

Lucy fell silent as they saw Caspian jump to Susan's aide. "See?" Eliza said. "Just like I promised."

They continued to weave through the woods. Lucy was silent. "Elly?" She said after a long while. "Do you remember when the trees used to dance?"

"Always to the Faun song." She replied.

"Do you think they will ever dance again?" She asked quietly.

Eliza let out a sigh as she nodded. "Yes, I believe you can make them dance once more." She said gently.

"What if I can't?"

"You can." She said. "You will."

Lucy let out a quiet sigh.

Eliza smiled gently. "Think of happier things." She said. "Even if our friends are not with us – the best we can do for now is stay strong."

Lucy nodded. They noticed a Telmarine was closing in on them, Eliza flicked the reigns as she raced away but he was close in pursuit of them.

Suddenly they heard a loud roar as they stopped atop a hill. "Aslan…" Eliza breathed out.

"ASLAN!" Lucy cried out happily.

Lucy jumped down and then ran to the Lion. Eliza followed as they embraced him, hiding their faces in his mane of gold. "I knew it was you. The whole time, I knew it. But the others wouldn't believe me." Lucy cried out happily.

"And why would that stop you from coming to me?" Aslan said.

"I'm sorry. I was too scared to come alone. Why haven't you shown yourself? I thought you'd come roaring in to save us like last time." Lucy said a bit sadly.

"Because…" Eliza said. "Things never happen the same way twice… We were supposed to learn that."

"If I had come earlier… everyone who died… could I have stopped that?" Lucy asked slowly.

"We can never know what would have happened, Lucy." Aslan said. "But what will happen is another matter entirely. Eliza…"

"I'm sorry I did not come for you." She said. "But – I was needed as an extra voice to aide Prince Caspian…"

He nodded solemnly. "Now you must return to battle." He said to her.

She got up and bowed to him before climbing up onto Destier, with a last look at the lion and child she galloped back from where she came.

In the battle Field Caspian turned away from Glozelle who had been grabbed by a tree-root and then pulled away from him. They had caused a massive pit in the center of the battlefield and many Telmarines had fallen into their trap.

The Trees were fighting.

He realized this as Peter pulled him out of the pit. The Narnians regrouped as Peter led a charged. "FOR ASLAN!" He yelled.

Caspian was caught in a fight with a soldier, he stepped aside as one fell beside him with an ugly gaping gash through his face.

There was only one person he knew that had such a brutal attack. He turned and saw Eliza fighting a Telmarine who was easily twice her size. He snatched a spear and threw it into the man. She turned and already he saw blood and grime on her face.

Just how long has she been fighting.

She wiped at her nose. "I fell in this puddle – turns out it wasn't water." She explained. "And I think they broke my nose."

"Did you find him?" He asked.

She nodded with a smile. "We can relax for now, they're headed towards the River – with the forest awake once more – the Rivergod will be awake as well." She smiled and looked around. "But I guess these must be taken care of…" He watched her run off into the fight.

And then everything was silent. The war had been won.

Eliza walked in the water as she watched the men drop their weapons. She bent down and washed her face and arms as she continued to walk to the other bank where Aslan was. She stood at his side as Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian all knelt before him. Lucy was standing on Aslan's other side.

"Rise," Aslan said to them. "Kings and Queens of Narnia."

She watched as Peter, Susan, and Edmund stood tall. Caspian remained kneeling.

"All of you." Aslan said gently.

"I do not think I am ready." Caspian said quickly, like he was nervous.

"It's for that very reason I know that you are." Aslan replied.

Eliza walked up to him and held out her hand to him with a smile, he slid his hand into hers as he stood up. They both looked down when they heard music, tiny reed flutes from around their ankles. Several mice walked up to them while carrying Reepicheep who was on a stretcher.

Lucy ran over to him and put a drop into his mouth. He let out a breath as he sat up. "Oh, thank you, Your Majesty…" He noticed Aslan. "Oh, hail Aslan! It is a great honor to be—" He paused, it was then Eliza noticed his tail was missing. He tried to bow but he lost his balance and fell forward.

"Um… Reep." She said as she pointed to his tail.

"Oh!" He turned as he looked at the nub that used to be his tail, he tried to hide it as he turned to Aslan. "I am completely out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion. Perhaps a drop more?" He asked as he pointed to Lucy's cordial.

"I don't think it does that… Sorry…" She said.

"You can have a go." He said.

"It becomes you well, Small One." Aslan said.

"All the same, great king, I regret that I must withdraw. For a tail is the honor and glory of a mouse." Reepicheep said in response.

"Perhaps you think too much of your honor, friend."

Eliza found this all very humorous. She leaned against Caspian's shoulder as they watched on with amused grins.

"Well, it's not just the honor. It's also great for balance… and climbing… and grabbing things." Reepicheep said.

"My Lord, Mice need their tails." Eliza said with a chuckle.

The other mice grabbed their tales and held their swords to them.

"May it please your high Majesty;" Another mouse spoke up. "We will not bear the shame of wearing an honor denied to our chief."

Aslan chuckled. "Not for your honor, but for the love of your people…" Eliza watched in fascination as his tail grew back.

"Oh, look! Thank you, thank you, my liege! I will treasure it always! From this day forward, it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility." Reepicheep said happily.


	13. Chapter 13: No Need to Say Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

* * *

The Castle really was a beautiful place to be in when she wasn't a prisoner. Some Courtesan had offered her a couple of dresses to wear throughout her stay and she gladly accepted.

She wandered aimlessly between the halls until she bumped into Caspian. "Sorry." He said.

She smiled gently. "It's okay."

"How do you find the castle?" He asked as he offered her his arm.

She slipped her hand to place it onto the crook of his arm as they walked. "It is beautiful." She admitted.

"Your anger is ebbing away." He said.

"The war is won." She replied. "You should not be out and about – tonight it is your coronation." She said as she looked at him.

"I am anxious." He admitted.

"Why is that?" She asked as they walked into the library – it was empty. He watched her look at all of the books, occasionally pulling one out to inspect it.

"Must you leave?" He asked.

She looked up and studied his face. She nodded. "Yes." She smiled gently. "My time here is over."

"Can you not stay?" He asked.

She frowned as she stared out the window. "You have been a very dear friend." She said. "And even if I wanted to stay – I do not think I could…"

"That is all I am to you?" He asked. "A friend?"

She smiled and walked up to him. "You are young, my Lord." She cupped his cheek with her hand. "I am not."

"You are!" He said.

"… In my heart I feel aged." She admitted. "And I do not doubt that…" She trailed off as she pulled her hand away. She studied his face. "You will be a great king." She said finally. "You love so fully. And care so genuinely –" She put her hand over his heart. "You will be an honest man." She pulled her hand back once more. "I just wish I was allowed to watch you become that man… as I have watched Peter and Edmund before you."

"But –"

She stared down at their feet sadly. "Caspian I –"

Lucy burst in. "Elly – I –" They both looked up. "Oh… Sorry."

"It's fine – Lucy, what is it?"

"You have to see this!" She grabbed Eliza's hand and pulled her out of the room. "Look specially made! Just like in the old days!" She exclaimed as she showed her some dresses.

"Yes, wonderful." Eliza said.

Susan frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just… I need to talk to Aslan." She said and then she left.

The Coronation was full of noise, people were happy, and Eliza was surprised. She sat beside Glenstorm as they watched everyone dance happily. "You will be leaving?" Glenstorm asked.

"Yes." She said. "Aslan said I must."

"You will return." He said. "I foresaw it in the stars."

She smiled sadly as she shook her head. "I don't know… looks like this time …" She put her hand to her pendant. She then froze. "My Pendant…"

"What is it?" Glenstorm asked.

"If I leave it here – in Narnia –"

"You cannot." Glenstorm said.

"Suppose I did – wouldn't I have to get it back? Since it is mine?" She asked.

"I do not know." He replied.

Peter joined them. "Eliza – you haven't danced." He said.

"You know I've got the grace of a walrus." She replied.

"I know." He said as he sat down beside her.

She let out a sigh as she stared at the others. They were so happy – why couldn't she be happy. She saw Caspian laughing with Edmund and Lucy. "I'm going to miss him." She said. "I got so used to being around him… I'm going to miss him – the same way I missed you."

"Or more." He said.

She was silent.

The following morning she was ready to leave. Caspian sat with her in the courtyard in the early morning. She stared at the ground as they sat on a bench. "How old are you?" She asked.

"I am 18." He replied.

She nodded and cast a sidelong glance at him. "Thank you for everything – Caspian." She said. "For taking me away from here… For listening to me – for being the Telmarine who saved Narnia."

He looked at her; he could see the scars from the torture poking out just beyond her dress. "Do they hurt?" He asked as he let his fingers brush them.

"Not anymore." She said quietly. He got up and then held out his hand to her. She let him pull her up; his hand didn't release hers as he led her through the castle.

They saw that everyone has assembled and all that was left were the Kings, Queens, and Eliza. Together they walked back into the courtyard and found Aslan, Susan, and Peter. "We are ready. Everyone has assembled."

They all stood before the Telmarines and Narnians. Caspian gave her hand a squeeze as everyone stood silently, she returned the gesture and let his hand go as he went to speak to them all. "Narnia belongs to the Narnians just as it does to man. Any Telmarines who want to stay and live in peace are welcome to. And for any of you who wish, Aslan will return you to the home of our forefathers." He said.

"It has been generations since we left Telmar." A Telmarine lord said.

"We are not referring to Telmar." Aslan said. "Your ancestors were sea-faring brigands, pirates run aground on an island. There they found a cave, a rare chasm that brought them here from their world, the same world as our kings and queens." Aslan looked at the Pevensies before he looked back at the Telmarines. "It is to that island I can return you. It is a good place for any who wish to make a new start."

There was a heavy silence as Caspian stood beside Eliza once more, his hand easily finding hers.

"I'll go." A man Eliza recognized spoke, she has caught a glimpse of him throughout her imprisonment. "I will accept the offer."

"So will we." A woman carrying a baby said. They were followed by a Telmarine lord together they stood before Aslan.

"Because you have spoken first, your future in that world will be good." Aslan said. He breathed upon them and then the tree in the center of the area twisted and turned creating a round doorway. The three walked and vanished through it causing several gasps of horror amongst the Telmarines.

"How do we know he is not leading us to our deaths?" A man demanded.

"Sire, if my example can be of any service, I will take eleven mice though with no delay." Reepicheep offered.

"Your kind will not be treated kindly in that world." Aslan said.

"I will go." Eliza said finally.

They looked at her. "But –" Lucy said.

"We all have to." Peter said gently.

"We do?" Edmund asked.

"Our time's up…" Peter said and then he walked over to Caspian as he held out his sword. "After all, we're not really needed here anymore."

"I will look after it until your return." Caspian promised.

"I'm afraid that's just it." Susan said. "We're not coming back."

"We're not?" Lucy asked.

"You two are." Peter said as he looked at Lucy and Edmund. "At least… I think he means you two." He said as he looked at Aslan.

"But why? Did they do something wrong?" Lucy asked.

"Quite the opposite, dear one. But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned what they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in heir own." Aslan explained. "But now, it is your time to leave, Eliza."

She nodded and walked to the Pevensies as she hugged each and every one of them, telling them how much she loved them. Glenstorm put his fist over his heart as he bowed to her. She smiled and curtsied before patting Trumpkin on the head. He scowled put patted her arm all the same.

She looked at Professor Cornelius. "Thank you, kind stranger." She said with a bow.

"Thank you, Soothsayer." He replied.

She walked to Caspian and then she took her necklace off. "Keep it safe for me." She whispered as she placed it about his neck. "And it will be a promise that I will return… some day."

Gently he grasped her head and kissed her forehead. He pulled back and gently she kissed his cheek before smiling sadly. She nodded to everyone before stepping through the trees.

It was like waking from a dream you never knew you slept in the first place. Once more she was on her bed – her book grasped in her hands. She stretched and felt the fabric of her nightgown catch on her back. Curiously she reached back and she could feel scarred skin. She rushed to a mirror and let out a relieved sigh when she saw the skin of her face was smooth once more. For some reason her back remained scarred.

Her hand went to her neck and her pendant was gone. She looked around her room and saw the rain had stopped.

"Liza?" Her father said as he knocked on the door.

"It's open." She said.

He walked in and was about to say something but she beat him to it. "I want to go to America." She said.

"You do?" He asked.

"… Yes." She said. "I have nothing here…"

He nodded and studied her face. "I shall make arrangements." He said before leaving.

The following morning she had everything she needed packed, a hat was atop her head, and she wore one of her finer dresses.

Her mother hugged her tightly. "Oh my Darling…" She said.

"I will be back." Eliza said. "Some day, so don't say goodbye." She studied her mother's face with a small smile.

He little brother, eight year old Fredrick, hugged her about her waist. "Don't leave!" He cried out.

She smiled gently and crouched down. "When I return I will have some wonderful stories for you." She said. "I promise."

He nodded and she hugged him tightly.

"Eliza." Her father said.

She nodded and followed him out the door and to the awaiting carriage; she cast a last glance at the house as she left it behind.

"What do you plan to do in America?" He asked.

"Live in a cottage by the sea." She replied. "And write."

He nodded and they fell silent. She didn't need to wait for Narnia to go on an adventure.


	14. Chapter 14: At Sea

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I am so sorry the chapters are short lately, hopefully soon they will grow in length - or maybe I will just update more often, I don't know. I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. =]

* * *

The Captain was a smelly man, he staggered about in a drunken state and she had the creeping suspicion that he was a pirate, or formerly so. He had a gnarled face, white beard and both of his legs were missing; he clunked around with surprising grace. Yet, he was never seen without some sort of drink in his hand.

He walked over to her and eyed her evenly as if he was sizing her up. "Yeh Jonny's girl?" He asked in a gravelly, slurred voice.

"Yes." She said.

He circled her and lingered at her back, she shifted uncomfortably as he circled to face her once more. "Yeh scars." He said as he pointed to her. "Yeh ain't sum rich princess?"

She stared at him evenly. "My father is of respected means." She replied.

"Yeh took a lashing." He said as he stared through beady eyes.

She stood a bit taller.

He looked like understood as he took a swig from his bottle, the crimson liquid dribbled into his beard before it was lost there. He then eyed her again. "Yeh take them, yeh carry them proudly." He pointed at her. "I like yeh, yeh got something regal 'bout yeh."

She didn't say anything.

"Yeh a fighter?" He asked.

"I have some skill with the blade." She said.

He nodded. "Good, yeh gonna need it – I trust my crew, some men can't be trusted though –"

"Not all men can be." She said with a curt nod.

"Welcome aboard the Viriplaca." He said. "I am Captain Eduardo Seville."

Eduardo Seville, Captain Peg-Leg Seville, Eliza had read much about him, a pirate turned privateer for the East Indian Trading Company, many pirates considered him a traitor, Eliza thought that maybe he was not so bad as he seemed.

But still he was a pirate; she would not trust a pirate even if he no longer engaged in piracy. Eliza had been given private quarters, a small room with a bed pushed up into a corner, it was bolted to the ground, as was the humble wardrobe and a trunk. She placed her things in the wardrobe and trunk before she sat on the bed, she then got off and removed her dress, freeing herself from the corset as she pulled on a white blouse and a shirt her mother had given her, and once she had a belt about her waist she slid a dagger into her boot.

Once she had checked her hair was properly fastened she left her quarters and locked the door behind her before slipping the key into her boot. As she walked up deck she bumped into someone, he was a young man about her age. "I am sorry." He said.

She looked up at him and nodded before making her way around him and heading further up deck. The ship had cast off into the sea and the port was only growing smaller and smaller as the ship sailed away. She leaned on the rail and took in a deep breath; the smell of the salty air was soothing.

"Tell me about that place." Eduardo said as he clunked over to join her.

"That place…?" She asked.

"Yeh marks." He said. "Yeh be what… 16?"

"I am 19." She corrected.

"Pretty little thing like you wouldn't hold marks like that… Yeh had to have gotten them from sum magical place." He said.

She scoffed. "Magical Place? I hardly believe in things like that Captain Seville."

Liar, she told herself.

He laughed and slapped his hand on the rail. "No one told me yeh be funny!" He said. "Girly, I be sailing these seas for longer then yeh have been alive." He was suddenly very serious – and very sober. "I have seen things most people would not believe exist." His slur was gone. "I've been to Atlantis, girly." He pulled a crystal from his shirt before tucking it in again. "I've been to Avalon – to Shangri-La."

"I hardly believe in those sort of stories anymore." She said as she began to walk off.

"Tell me of Telmar." He said suddenly.

She froze. "Don't speak that name."

"Ah, the hate in you! It was someone of Telmar that has given you those marks!" He laughed. "Aye, I can see it in your stance, girly."

"I am no Girly!" She snarled as she turned to him. "And you are nothing but a good-for-nothing pirate." She spat.

He laughed a wheezy laugh. "Now Girly, yeh best not be advertising that here! Half these men would like to see me dead before dawn."

She eyed him evenly. "How do you know of that place?" She asked.

"I've been there… accidentally." He said. "Ended up on some island after a nasty storm – found a cave… and Narnia." He leaned on the rail. "That Great Lion –"

"Aslan."

"Aye, him." He said. "He granted me a gift, you see – since I was so young… He gave me the world." He looked at her. "Is that what he's gone and given you?"

"…No." She said as she stood on the rail, her arms on the warm wood. "He gave me nothing but friends I had to leave behind."

He knew that look in her eyes. "Sum boy has to do with that Nostalgia, aye?"

She looked away. "I'd rather not talk about it." She said quietly.

He eyed her evenly. "Listen here, lass." He said. "I've sailed these seas for nigh sixty years now… I seen everything there is to see – tasted all the alcohol – sampled every woman –"

"You are a filthy old man." She snarled.

He laughed. She scowled as she stared at the ocean. "But you, I can tell someone who is running away from someone who is ready to face their fate." He said.

"I am not running away." She said.

"Sure looks like yeh are." He said.

She stared at the sea. "Yeh can tell me yeh don't believe in them stories, Girly." He said. "I ain't going to believe it, just like I ain't going to believe you ain't running away."

She shook her head as she stared to the horizon. "I just… need some change." She said. "Time to discover who I really am, am I really just someone who gives good advice? Am I more?" She stuck he bottom lip out a bit. "I thought I would go live on some beach away from civilization… and write."

He laughed. "A woman writing?" He slapped his knee. "You are funny, Girly."

"I am being serious." She said.

This only made him laugh harder. She scowled and stared at the ocean. She missed Narnia. He fell silent. "You ain't just 19, are yeh?"

She looked down at her hands as she shrugged. "It's kind of hard to explain." She said quietly. She let out a quiet sigh.

He nodded. "I see." He leaned on the rail beside her.

That day wore on without much happening, that night she retired to her room; she locked the door before changing into her nightgown. She settled on the bed and let out a sigh, the movement of the ship gently rocked her, and the motion was soothing.

And yet, she wasn't comforted.

She missed home, and she missed her family.

She then heard a boom that seemed to cause the ship to jolt. She fell of the bed as another jolt shook the ship. She scrambled up and shoved her feet into her boots, she quickly put her skirt on over her nightgown as she ran out of the room. Men were running past her in half-asleep frenzied states.

"What's going on?" She yelled out as more booms shook the vessel.

An aged man with a kind face tried to smile reassuringly. "Nothing, Miss, why don't you go back to sleep?"

"Give me a sword." She demanded.

Someone gave her a cutlass as she followed the men up-deck.

What she saw blew her mind, there was a ship, it was massive, with blood-red sails and wood so white it gleamed in the night.

Eduardo appeared beside her as he drank from his bottle. "Who in the world is that?" She said.

"My old Captain." He said. "That man just won't die." He offered her the bottle, she stared down at it, then she glanced up at the ship again, realizing she needed the drink she accepted the bottle and took a swig as she let the liquid burn her tongue and throat. She passed it back as she gripped the cutlass.

"How many men?" She asked.

"More than I would care to count." He growled. "Girly, yeh can fight?"

She nodded.

"Good, we need every sword we can get."

She had a feeling this night would not end well. "PREPARE TO BOARD!" A voice yelled from the other ship.

"This will be a battle yeh'll never forget." Eduardo said.

"With all do respect Captain; I have been in many battles." She said. "I have never forgotten a single one – nor every face I have killed." She gripped the cutlass tightly.

"Yeh have a conscience. That won't help us at all."

She smirked as she saw the enemy board the ship. "Only after the battle is done." She said as she looked at him.

"Then by all means." He said. "Engage."

She bowed to him and ran off; he watched her fight – her style far too elegant and noble for the seamen around her. He had a feeling this would be one battle he would remember for a very long time.


	15. Chapter 15: I'm Not 'Girly'

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

* * *

Eliza found cutlasses to be flimsy, she missed Narnian blades in her hand – she would even have loved to have that flimsy excuse of a Telmarine sword she had used when she escaped with Caspian. The men around her fought crudely, it was like fighting barbarians.

They were Barbarians.

These people were trying to stop her safe passage, she refused to let them. So with the skill she had gained from her many battles she cut her way through them easily, it was almost too easy. All of a sudden everyone stopped; fear gripped the hearts of some of the men there while the other fell to their knees in respect. She could hear footfalls, they were heavy – even. They were moving towards her.

Suddenly everything felt quiet; the only thing she could hear was the heavy breathing of some man who had to be fifty feet tall.

Slowly she turned around and saw a man, he walked with a heavy gait but he was tall, broad-shouldered, and his arms and face were bronze from many hours in the sun. He had a tangled beard that was black, and his eyes were like two shards of ice as he stood staring down at her.

She suddenly felt so small. Her grip loosened and the cutlass fell with a clang. She had never felt so afraid before. She knew who this massive imposing man was.

Captain Anthony Blackheart…. One of the most fearsome pirates that ever sailed the seas.

And he was staring down at Eliza. He reached up a hand and she flinched, thinking he was about to slap her, instead he put a finger to her cheek, when he drew it back she saw there was blood on it. He then spoke, his voice was booming, gravelly, and it demanded both attention and respect. "Are you the child they say is not from this world?"

She was suspicious. "If I am." She said.

He laughed. "You've got spirit."

She refused to balk. He looked around. "Ah, Eduardo!"

"… Anthony." He said.

"Now you let little girls fight your battles?" He laughed.

"I am not a little girl." She seethed.

"She simply wants safe passage." Eduardo said.

"And I would have granted it – had she not singlehandedly wiped out half of my crew." Blackheart said.

Eduardo glanced over at Eliza whose face was pale; it was as if she was staring at a ghost. "Can't say I blame her." Eduardo replied.

"You still have that winning sense of humor!" Blackheart said. "I bet you would still be dancing had I not taken your legs and fed them to my dogs."

Eduardo flinched ever so slightly. Eliza watched as Blackheart turned back to look at her. She spoke, voice quivering. "It would do you best if you let us carry on our way." She said.

He laughed. "Why should I?" He said. "You just killed half my crew! You are obviously a cold-hearted pirate!"

"I am not a pirate." She snarled, her courage returning to her. She gripped her sword again as she glared at him.

Blackheart looked annoyed, he simply snapped his fingers and within moments she was tied up. She glared at him as the other crewmen of the Viriplaca were bound and then dragged onto the massive ship, and explosion signaled the destruction of the Viriplaca. Eliza started to yell angrily as she fought her captors; the Blackheart smirked down at her. "Be a good girly and go into the brig."

"I challenge you to a duel." She said suddenly.

"What?" He said.

"I challenge you to a duel –"

"Don't be stupid!" Eduardo yelled but was instantly gagged; someone had taken away his legs – now he was nothing but a legless cripple who was being held up by a huge man. Eliza ignored him.

"What did you say?" Blackheart said.

"I said I challenge you to a duel." She said. "If I win I become captain of your ship." She lifted her chin defiantly. "If you win… all you have to do is name your prize."

He nodded. "Your terms?"

"We duel on an island." She said. "On land – and it is just us, also – win or lose – the crew and Captain Seville go free."

He looked amused at her final term but did not comment upon it, his face then darkened. "You do not trust my crew?" He asked as if daring her to say otherwise.

"No." She said defiantly. "I don't."

He nodded. "I accept your terms." He said. "To the brig!"

She walked with dignity to the grimy cell, Eduardo was unceremoniously dumped, and once they were gone she went to help him sit up. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked with a hiss.

"I've fought bigger." She replied.

"Yeh ain't some titan here!" He said.

"I know." She said quietly as she looked at him. "But – if it gets you all free." She noticed the rest of the crew was stuffed in a facing cell. "I will gladly do it." She looked at Eduardo. "You have showed me kindness since we left England." She nodded. "Even if we are not close friends – I have chosen to fight."

He eyed her closely before looking away. "Yeh crazy, Girly."

She smiled. "I'm not a Girly." She sat back and stared at him, he looked pathetic without his legs, she noticed that his legs below the knees were completely gone, he say with a broken countenance, and it looked like sobriety did not suit him. "What happened to you?" She asked quietly.

He let out a sigh. "One thing yeh learn, is one does not simply leave Cap'n Blackheart's crew." She sat against the grimy bars. "I couldn't stay, yeh see, the Cap'n style was getting bloodier than I cared for… I was young, no older then yeh, but it cost me greatly." He pointed to his legs. "Lost 'em, in a duel."

"How did you get the other legs?" She asked gently.

"Gift." He said. "From natives in an island in the Caribbean."

She looked at her knees. "What are my chances, Captain?"

He shifted a bit before putting his hands over his stomach. "I seen yeh fight." He said. "Yeh got a bloody fast blade –"

"Will it help me?"

"No."

Her face fell. "Oh."

"Girly, you just signed your death warrant." He said before closing his eyes.

She stared at the crew; they were mostly injured but looking at her with sympathetic looks. She looked at her knees as she tried to not meet their gazes.

She did not know how long they sat in that sell, her skin felt grimy and sticky, her nails were coated with a layer of dirt and blood, her skirt was torn at the hem and her boots were coated with a layer of muck. Finally a man opened the cell door and pulled her out by her arm.

The island was small, a sand-bar really, blue crystalline water surrounded them. She judged them to be somewhere in the Caribbean, it seemed like Blackheart favored those water. She was handed a cutlass and was roughly shoved onto the island, on the other side her opponent stood.

He had shed the coat he was wearing the first time, she saw he wore a blood-red shirt under a black vest. His feet were massive as he walked on the sand. She stood as tall as she could as she marched over to him, he drew his cutlass and she inwardly flinched when she saw it was almost as long as she was.

He laughed. "Fear, I can see it in your eyes."

"Do you agree to let the crew and Seville go free if I win or lose?"

"And the crew." He agreed.

She took her stance, he circled her and she kept a wary eye on him. She attacked first, the sound of metal-on-metal mingled with the sound of waves; she stepped back and heard a splash. "What –"

"The tide." He said with a smirk. "It's coming in."

The water now swelled around her ankles making it harder for her to move, Blackheart on the other hand moved with surprising grace, it soon became so much harder for her to deflect his blows, and they came faster and more furious the higher the water got.

Eliza focused on deflecting his attacks, she was so focused that she hardly attacked him herself, in her many years of experience, she had never felt her limbs tire as they did now.

"You look like a land girl." When he paused. "I knew you could never fight in this."

"This isn't a duel." She said when she realized what he meant. "This is an execution."

"You killed half of my crew singlehandedly, did you think I would fight where you had the upper hand?"

"COWARD!" She yelled at him.

She gasped when she felt the blade in her stomach. He had moved so quickly she barely noticed. She gasped again when he pulled a knife and slammed it into her chest. She found herself staring into his cruel eyes as blood gently trickled out of her mouth. "Ch-cheater…" She whispered before he flung her back into the water.

It rushed into her lungs as she stared to the sky, slowly she drifted into a daze of sorts, and as her mind began to darken she remembered so many things she could have done, the chances she missed, the stories she did not write.

What a pathetic way to die, a warrior such as herself, killed in a sneak attack by some brute of a man who had no honor for a proper fight.

She wanted to cry out for Aslan to take her.

For Caspian…

For Peter, Lucy, Susan, and Edmund.

She wanted to be in Narnia once more. To run in its woods and walk along its beach, she wanted to walk about Cair Paravel once more, and steal food from the kitchens. She wanted to watch the Fauns dancing as she told them about William Shakespeare.

She wanted to fall in love.

But now it was all lost.

Her last waking thought was regret. No one had ever said that one felt strong regret when they died… but ho survived death? Who ever lived to tell the tale?

She was Eliza Soothsayer, Silvertongue to the Centaurs. And just like in all of the great stories, she was the hero of her own tale.

She had lived happily in Narnia, yet in despair in this world.

She used to be Eliza Soothsayer, her blood used to flow from Archenland…

But now, in the finality of death. It did not matter. It never did. She could remember the question that had been on her mind for a while. 'What happens when someone from Narnia dies in our world?'

_'Swim, dear one.' _ A voice spoke in the back of her mind.

With a strangled jolt she found she needed air, the water was deep – so much deeper than it should be; quickly she swam upwards, when she broke the surface she gasped for air.

She blinked in the blazing sun and let out a gasp as tears sailed down her face, mixing with the saltwater she swam in.

She was alive. Eliza felt like she had been born again.


	16. Chapter 16: Welcome Back

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

* * *

She could hear voices; she turned and saw two familiar voices, with a happy laugh she swam over to them. Lucy and Edmund were waving her way, she saw a boy that splashed around angrily. Lucy hugged Eliza tightly. "Look at you!" Eliza said brightly. "You look older!"

"It's been a year." Lucy said.

Eliza frowned. "I've only been home less then a month." She said.

"That's odd." Edmund said.

"Who is that?" She asked as she looked over at the spluttering boy.

"Our cousin." They said, not sounding very happy about it.

A shadow loomed over them and they all saw a ship. It looked Narnian. Eliza quickly tugged the boy out of the path of the ship as they tried to swim away. Someone grabbed her wrist, she turned and saw a very familiar smiling face, he had a beard on his jaw and his hair was longer then she remembered, he also looked much more mature. "Caspian!" She cried out happily.

"Hello." He smiled happily as another man took hold of the boy, Eliza looked over at Lucy who had a knowing smile on her face; Edmund rolled his eyes as they were helped up onto the ship. He helped her to a plank the men aboard the ship had lowered, Eliza looked down at herself and saw that her clothes had been torn where she had been stabbed, but the flesh beneath was still soft.

"Eliza?" He said gently.

She looked up at him before hugging him tightly as they were hoisted up. She felt blessed to still be alive. No doubt Aslan had something to do with it. They stepped onto the deck and in an instant they were given towels, she tightly wrapped it around her shoulders as she walked over to Lucy and planted a kiss atop her head. She then hugged Edmund. Their cousin was thrown on deck as he yelled something about the British Consulate. She walked over to the boy and crouched down before him.

"Hello." She said.

"Finally! A normal person!"

"Normal?" She crinkled her nose. "Are you Ed's and Lu's cousin?"

"Unfortunately." He said. "Where am I?" He demanded.

"Narnia." She replied.

"Not you too!"

A Minotaur stood beside her. "Welcome to Narnia!"

The boy instantly passed out. She got up and stood beside Caspian who put an arm around her shoulders. "Are you sure he's your cousin?" She asked teasingly.

Lucy giggled at this.

"How about we all get dried off." Caspian suggested. "And get you three into suitable clothes."

The three nodded.

"What about the boy, My Lord?" A man asked.

"Keep him below, have someone check on him every so often." He said.

The man bowed before carrying the boy easily.

"Eliza!" A voice said.

She turned around. "Why hello Reep." She said as she sat down to let the mouse climb onto her lap. "How are you?"

"I am doing well." He said. "Yourself?"

"Better now that I am here." She smiled.

"Ah, I can sense a tale in that sentence." He said.

"I guess so." She smiled as Caspian put a hand on her shoulder. "I will see you later." She said.

"But of course." He said with a bow before scurrying off.

She got up and followed Caspian into a room, no doubt his private cabin, Aslan was carved on one of the walls over a fireplace; Lucy looked around in wonder. "Do you like it?" Caspian asked.

"Yes!" She said happily.

He walked to a trunk. "I'm sorry Lucy and Eliza, there are no dresses aboard, you will have to wear from my clothes."

"Oh." Lucy said, her voice sounded a bit disappointed.

"I'm used to it." Eliza said with a smile, Caspian glanced her way with a gentle smile before he pulled out some clothes for Lucy, Edmund, and Eliza.

"And also…" Caspian said. "I should probably return these to you…" He went to a cabinet and from it he pulled out the cordial.

"My Cordial!" Lucy said happily.

"And…" He took out Peter's sword and held it out to Edmund.

"No." Edmund said. "Peter gave it to you."

Caspian held it back and thanked him quietly. He handed Eliza and Edmund swords for them to carry around. Once that was taken care of Edmund left the room to change while Lucy went through a door to change as well, Eliza assumed it led to a bathroom. Caspian turned to Eliza. "You and Lucy will sleep in here." He said.

"What about you?" She asked.

"I will sleep with the crew." He said as he walked over to her.

"You look older." She said.

"You look the same." He replied. "But –" He ran his thumbs over her cheeks. "The scars…"

"The ones on my back remain." She said with a small smile.

He gently gripped her shoulders. "The tears in your clothes." He said. "What happened?"

She looked up at him; he was taller too – before they had been the same height, now he was just a bit taller than her. She shook her head sadly.

They stood apart when Lucy came bursting out. "The clothes are too big." She cried out in dismay.

"Sorry." Caspian said. "That is all I can offer you."

Eliza managed a smile. "I will sew them for you later. Maybe I will teach you how to mend." She promised.

Lucy nodded. "How about boots?" She asked.

"Ask around, maybe you'll find something your size." He said with a smile. Lucy nodded and bounded off. Once again Eliza and Caspian were alone. "Will you not tell me?" He asked her.

She walked into the small bathroom to change, really it had a small basin of water fastened to the wall, and a wooden seat she knew had a chamber pot below it. She peeled off her wet clothes before she put on the breeches; she found she didn't have to lace it up to tightly as her hips were bigger than Caspian's. She then put on a white shirt and found that his smell still clung to it, he had worn it recently; she smiled as she put on the dark green vest over it. Once she had put her boots back on she carried out the damaged clothes with the towel in a basket with Lucy's clothes.

"Will you not tell me?" Caspian asked again as he sat on the bed. It was obvious he had stayed behind to ask her again.

She let out a sigh as she sat beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. "In my world – that world… I was on my way to go to a place called America." She said. "On our way… we were intercepted by pirates… and I dueled one." She frowned. "The Captain…"

"Eliza…"

"I died in our world, Caspian." She looked at him. "I'm supposed to be dead."

He stood up and pulled her up with him. "Aslan brought you hear to us." He said.

She nodded, but there were tears in her eyes. "What if he makes me leave again? What if I die –"

"I won't let you." He said. "And I will fight Aslan if I have to."

She looked up at him and saw something in his eyes that told her he would if he had to. She looked down and saw the pendant that hung about his neck. It still shined the way she remembered. She put her hand to it. "Here." He said as he began to unfasten it from around his neck. "It belongs to you."

She stopped him. "No." She said. "It was a gift I gave to you… Keep it." She smiled gently and then she looked down at the pendant again. "How long have I been gone?" She asked.

"Three years." He replied. "How long have you not been here?"

"… Less than a month." She replied.

He smiled triumphantly. "Then I am older than you now."

She smiled up at him. "I guess so." She then let out a happy sigh. "I am so happy to be back here."

He grasped her hand in his as he smiled gently. "As am I."

They jumped when Edmund burst in. "Oh – sorry." He said as Eliza turned to look at him, she glared at him and he smirked before looking at Caspian. "So we're here."

"Right." Caspian said. He grasped Eliza's hand in his as he led her out of the room and up to the Captain's office. Once he had spread out a map.

"Why are you at sea?" She asked.

Caspian looked at her. "We're looking for the Seven Telmarine lords that were most loyal to my father… When Miraz took the throne they fled." He replied.

"Do you need our help?" Lucy asked.

"You must have called us." Edmund agreed.

"No, that is the strange thing." Caspian said.

"Could it have anything to do… with me?" Eliza asked Caspian quietly.

"Maybe." He said with a nod.

"Why, what happened?" Edmund asked.

Eliza didn't reply. Caspian gently grasped her hand in his as he pointed to the map with his other hand. "We're headed to the Lone Island." He said. "And then beyond."

"Uncharted waters." The Captain, Drinian, said. "Full of Sea Monsters and other dark things."

"Sea Monsters?" Edmund gulped.

"That is enough of your tall tales, Captain." Caspian said lightly.

The Captain bowed his head.

"So our first place is the Lone Island?" Eliza asked.

"Aye." The Captain said. "We make port in Narrowhaven." He said.

"I have been there once." Eliza said. "A long time ago."

Drinian nodded. "Then you will know your way around it."

She nodded. "If it has not changed in the past several hundred years."

He shook his head. "No, my Lady, it hasn't."

She nodded. "When do we make port?" She asked Caspian.

Caspian looked up at Drinian curiously and the captain smiled. "Soon."

She nodded. She looked to Lucy. "Now, how about we fix that up?" She asked as she gestured to the clothes she wore.

Lucy nodded eagerly as they both left the office. They walked back to Caspian's private Cabin as they rummaged through the drawers; Lucy found a spool of thread and a needle. Eliza made Lucy stand in front of her so she could see how much of the shirt she would take in. As she worked Lucy spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence that had enveloped them. "You're happy to see Caspian again." She said.

Eliza looked up at Lucy. "I'm happy to see all of you again."

"But you are especially happy to see Caspian." Lucy said. "I can tell he's especially happy to see you."

Eliza smiled gently. Once she had fixed the shirt she grabbed the vest Caspian had given Lucy. "Sit beside me and watch."

Lucy bounced to sit beside Eliza as she watched her take in the back and slowly stitch it. "I think I get it." Lucy said.

"Would you like to try?"

Lucy shook her head. "You finish this so I don't ruin it." She said. "And then maybe I will try on other things."

Eliza chuckled as she continued to stitch it up. Once she was done she handed the vest to Lucy who put it on. "Better?" Eliza asked.

"Much!"

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter." Lucy called out.

Caspian walked in and noticed that Lucy's clothes fit better now. He smiled gently and then looked at the two. "We are ready to dock." He said.

They nodded and left out with him.


	17. Chapter 17: Calormen Scum!

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

* * *

It was sunset as they rowed towards the island. "Onward!" Reepicheep happily declared.

"Couldn't this have waited 'til morning?" Edmund and Lucy's cousin, Eustace, said. She had no idea why the boy insisted on joining them.

"There is no honor in running away from adventure lad." Reepicheep yelled as Caspian helped Lucy and Eliza out of the boat.

Eliza frowned when she beheld Narrowhaven. Lucy stood beside Eliza. "Listen… where is everyone?"

She was looking around and then she spoke up."Isn't this a Narnian province?" She asked Caspian.

"Yes." He said oddly.

"Not a single Narnian flag in sight." Edmund said from beside her.

"Curious." Eliza said as she walked ahead of them. "And where are all of the people?"

They all jumped when they heard a gong in the air. "What was that?" Eustace said.

"Reepicheep, stay here with Drinian's men and secure the boats…. We'll head on… if we don't get back by dawn, send a party."

They walked through the seemingly empty city, sometimes Eliza would spot people huddled, hidden, with looks of pain and terror on their faces. The air was cooling down as the sky darkened as they walked to a building. "Here – the Steward's office was here." She said.

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked.

Eliza nodded. "I spent some time here… Once."

Slowly they opened the door and Eliza ignored Eustace as he spoke, she drew her sword as they walked in. Cages hung from the ceiling, and stone statues stood with bent heads… they almost looked upset. Lucy walked to a book, within it there was a pen, and names were written upon the unlined parchment pages.

"Who are all these people?" Lucy asked.

"Why have they been crossed out?" Edmund asked.

Eliza had a bad feeling in her gut. "I know what this is." She said in horror. "It's a Slave Trader's Ledger." She turned the page, but then jumped when they heard the gong again. This time yells were accompanied with them as men slid down ropes from the ceiling.

Eliza did not hesitate to fight, Edmund, Lucy, and Caspian all engaged as she; she was about to stab one until they heard a shriek from the doors, for a moment she thought they had Lucy until she turned and saw it was Eustace who was being held hostage.

"Unless you'd like to hear this one squeal like a girl again, I'd say you should drop your weapons." The man said as he held a knife to Eustace's neck.

"I'm not a girl!" Eustace yelled.

"NOW!"

Lucy scowled as she threw her weapon.

"Calormen scum." Eliza spat as she threw her weapon down as well.

"Put 'em in irons!" The man commanded.

The moment a man approached Eliza to cuff her she stepped on his foot, kicked his shin, and then grabbed his head as he doubled over in pain. She was ready to snap his neck. "Let the boy go." She said. "Or I will kill your man!" They way she said it brought fear into her companion's eyes.

The man snickered. "You wouldn't." He said. "You've never killed a man in cold blood before."

"How would you know?" She snarled.

She felt a blade pressed to the back of her neck. "Eliza –" Caspian started.

The man dropped Eustace. "Eliza… Soothsayer?" He said.

She glared at him.

"My, she will bring quite the pretty penny." He pointed to Lucy. "So will she – send those two to the Dungeons."

"Listen you insolent fool!" Caspian yelled. "I am your KING!"

Eliza heard scuffling behind her, and Edmund yelled. "You're going to pay for that." He said.

"Actually." A deeper, more cultured voice said. "Someone else is going to pay for that." He paused. "For all of you."

Eliza yelled and struggled as she tried to break away. "LUCY!" Edmund yelled.

"EDMUND!" She shrieked as she tried to break away.

Eliza suddenly remembered what it was like when she was captured in Miraz' castle, she began to toss about violently, the men yelled as she moved about.

Edmund and Caspian were thrown in the dungeon. The toss knocked him unconscious. Caspian, on the other hand could still hear Eliza's yelling. It was drawing nearer to the door, soon it was flung open and she was thrown in, the moment they released her she ran at them again, trying to claw at them, someone kicked her in the face and she cowered back.

"She's a bloody monster, that one!" One of them said to the other.

"Don't know if anyone will want to buy her." The other added.

"I bet she ain't even Soothsayer." With that they were gone.

Eliza had her knees drawn to her chest; her face was bent as Caspian rushed over to her. "Eliza, look at me." He said.

She looked up and saw her nose was mottled, possibly broken. She managed a small smile. "They fell for it."

"I think we all fell for it." He said with a small, but strained chuckle. Edmund came to and sat up with a groan. "Are you okay?" Caspian asked him.

"Yeah…" Edmund said as Caspian began to attack the door.

"That won't work." A voice said from the depths of the dungeon. "You'll never get out."

"Who's there?" Edmund said.

"Nobody, just a voice in my head." Was the response.

An aged man was sitting there as the three inched forward to him. Caspian narrowed his eyes as if to see who it was before realization crossed his face. "Lord Bern."

"That once… but no longer deserving of that title…" The man replied.

"Is he one of the Seven?" Edmund asked.

Caspian walked over to the old man and then he crouched down beside him. "Your face," He said. "You remind me of a King I once loved well."

"That man was my father…" Caspian said.

"Oh… my Lord… forgive me…" Bern said as he bent to kiss Caspian's hand.

"No, please –"

They heard horses – and yelling. Eliza ran to the window with Edmund as they saw the Slave Traders take a woman away from her family, they put her in a boat with many other people.

"Where are they taking them?" Caspian asked.

"Keep watching." Lord Bern said.

They obeyed and watched the sky darken as clouds appeared, green mist followed and consumed the people – yells of fear were heard and then they vanished.

"What happened?" Caspian asked.

"It's a sacrifice." Bern said.

"Where do they go?" Eliza asked through a stuffed nose.

"No one knows." Bern replied. "The Mist, was first seen in the East, reports of Fishermen and Sailors disappearing out at sea, we lords made a pact to find the source of the mist and destroy it… They each set sail – but none came back…" Bern walked past them and then stopped to look at them once more. "You see, if they don't sell you to the slave traders, you're likely to be fed to the mist."

"We have to find Lucy before it's too late." Edmund said.

Eliza frowned. "They're probably being sold –" They gasped as men walked in and flung open the door. "Come on!" They yelled.

"Not her – she's damaged." They pointed to Eliza as they shackled her.

She stood with Lord Bern, they could hear yelling above. She ran without hesitation, smashing her head into one of the men, she then grabbed the chains of the shackles and threw them over his head before she tightened it, with an angry yell she kicked him forward and his head flew off. She winced as blood splashed on her face.

"Lord Bern." She said.

"After you, young lady." He said. "But first we must retrieve something."

She grabbed the keys and unshackled her. "Let's go." She said.

She grabbed a sword as they ran out; she stabbed and cut her way through the oncoming men before they took secret paths to a cove. Once there she washed her face from the blood as he retrieved a mud-coated sword.

People were cheering; the pair ran to join them. Caspian rushed to walk to Eliza but Lord Bern demanded his attention. "My King!" He said. "This was given to me by your father; I hid it safely in a cave all these years."

"That's a Narnian Sword." Edmund said.

"From your Golden Age." Lord Bern said. "There are seven such swords a gift from Aslan to protect Narnia, your father entrusted them to us, here… take it –"

Lucy noticed Eliza's nose and pulled her down as she poured a drop of her cordial into her mouth, within moments she felt warmth spreading into her nose as it was fixed.


	18. Chapter 18: Magic

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

* * *

Eliza was happy to return to the ship, she went to wash up and change, Caspian chuckled as he stood in his room, he had changed before her, Lucy chuckled when Eliza joined them before she left the room. "Should I worry that you have had this habit since we were younger?" He asked.

"Habit? Of what?" She asked as she braided her damp hair. "And _you_ were younger… as opposed to now – and you being older than me." She flicked the braid back.

"My clothes, you always take them." He said.

"Stop giving them to me." She replied lightly. "And I have no intention of returning these either." She said.

He watched her with a smile as she dumped the bloodied clothes into the basket. She looked up at him. "What?" She said.

He shook his head. "It is nothing."

"It is never _nothing_." She said.

"Eliza." He said. "You are…" He let out a sigh.

"What?" She said.

He shook his head with a small smile. "I love you." He said simply.

She threw her arms around his neck as she smiled. "Really?"

"Would I lie?" He said.

She smiled happily. "I love you too." She said. He smiled and kissed her shoulder. When he looked up at her she was still smiling. "And what has brought on this declaration?" She asked.

"It is something… I have been thinking about since you left." He said.

She smiled gently. "I see – well, we must join the others." She stepped back. When they walked out there was laughter on deck, Eustace was waving around a knife that was too big for him, Reepicheep was scurrying around him with his much smaller sword, and he was still wining. Caspian and Eliza walked up to Drinian as Caspian put an arm around her waist so they could look over the map.

The fun was ended when a basket fell onto its side and a shriek was heard from it. They all fell silent, Eliza curiously stepped away from Caspian – it sounded like the shriek of a little girl. Out from a basket crawled a girl in a purple dress.

"Gael?" The newest crew-member, Rhince, exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" He rushed over to her and hugged her gently.

Drinian walked to them and everyone watched silently. He was holding an orange in his hands as he pushed past one of the crew-men. "Looks like we have an extra crew-member." He said as little Gael hid from him behind Rhince, Eliza assumed that she was his daughter. They all smiled as Drinian offered her the orange. Lucy smiled as she walked over to Gael.

"Welcome aboard."

"Your majesty!" She said as she dropped a curtsey.

"Call me Lucy." She smiled as she led her off.

Eliza helped the little girl settle in. "You can stay here." Eliza said.

"What about you?" Lucy asked her.

"I don't sleep much anyways." She teased.

By the time it was Dusk there was land within sight. Caspian peered out from a spyglass and then he spoke to them as Eliza stood beside Edmund. "Looks inhabited." Caspian said.

"It could be a trap." Drinian reasoned.

"Or it could hold some answers." Edmund said. "Caspian?"

"We'll spend the night on shore – scour the island in the morning." Caspian said.

"Aye your Majesty." Drinian said.

By the time night had fallen they had made camp on the shore. Eliza walked barefoot down the beach, her boots were abandoned by the camp as she walked on the moist sand, and every so often the water would swell around her ankles.

"A lady mustn't walk alone." Caspian's voice said lightly as he joined her.

She smiled gently as she reached out for his hand; he slipped his fingers between hers as he fell into step with her. "Do you think that a Lord passed here?" She asked him.

"I don't know." He said. "I am hoping that we find something that will tell us they have."

She let out a sigh as she looked at the Island. "There is something magical about this place – it's hard to explain." He was silent. They stopped walking as she looked up at him; she found that he was staring at her. "You keep doing that." She said. "Staring at me – why?"

"I'm afraid." He said.

"Afraid?" She asked.

"That you will leave again." His grip on her hand tightened slightly.

His gentle honesty always had a way of making her feel uncomfortable – not because she didn't like it – but because she envied him that ability – to be able to speak of his feelings so freely… Something she couldn't do.

"I don't want to leave." She said. "Not again."

He smiled gently as he pulled her to him; he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiled as they walked back to the group. She watched as everyone began to prepare themselves for sleep, a Minotaur was set to keep watch as Eliza plopped onto her mat, Caspian settled down on one that was not far from hers, before long they were all asleep.

That night her dreams were full of unusual things, it was morning when Edmund shook her away. "El, Lucy's gone."

She sat up quickly as she pulled her hair into a bun. "What do you mean gone?"

"Look." Caspian said as he pointed to the ground. She saw giant footprints in the sand. She quickly scrambled up and buckled her sword to her waist as the followed the others. Eliza ran in front of them as she followed the tracks, behind her the others followed.

"What are they?" Drinian asked.

"I don't know." She said as she shook her head. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Caspian! Eliza! Look, Lucy's dagger." Edmund called out.

They ran over to him and everyone let out surprised yells when spears appeared out of nowhere. "Stop right there or perish!"

They all gasped as they fell back by some unseen force, Eliza found herself staring up at a blade that was aimed at her face.

"What sort of creatures are you?" Caspian said.

"Large ones – with the body of a tiger and the head of…"

"Another tiger!" The invisible voices said. "You don't want to mess with us!"

Caspian pulled Eliza up as they looked around cautiously. "Or what?" Edmund yelled out.

"Or I'll claw you to death!" One said.

As they spoke Eliza saw creatures appear, they had one foot, with tufty hair and round bellies.

"And I'll run my tusks right through you!" Another said.

"And I'll gnash you with my teeth!" A third said.

"And I'll bite you with my fangs!"

They were all quite ridiculous looking. Eliza chuckled quietly as she watched them, no longer feeling threatened anymore.

"You mean, squash us with your fat bellies?" Edmund said.

Eliza looked up and saw that he too looked amused.

"Yes!" They growled then looked surprised. "Fat bellies?"

"Tickle us with your toes?" Caspian said.

They fell and Caspian laughed. Eliza chuckled as Edmund advanced on them. "What did you do to my sister you little pipsqueak?" He said as one of them fell to the ground.

"Now… calm down."

"Where is she?"

"In the mansion." The one that had fallen said.

"What mansion?" Edmund said.

Slowly they all turned and saw a house appear. Eliza walked toward the house curiously, past her walked Lucy and a man in robes. She stared up at the house as she walked even closer to it. "I knew this place was magic." She said.

They walked into the house with the magician, Coriakin. Eliza didn't really listen to what was being said, she was too fascinated with what the house had within, everything fascinated her, and she had a feeling if she ever had the chance she would have enjoyed a nice visit there. They followed him into a library, there were so many books in there, she wanted to run her fingers on their spines and read them all.

Coriakin grabbed a scroll and with a sweep he unfurled it on the ground. Eliza watched in fascination as she saw the glowing map. Around the edged she could see scenes from their very first battle. "It's actually quite beautiful." Eustace said.

Eliza, Lucy, and Edmund looked up at him with smirks.

"I mean for an imaginary map – of an imaginary world."

"There is the source of your troubles, Dark Island." Coriakin said as the map showed them the island, the images looked so real. "A place where Evil lurks, it can take any form – and it can make your worst dreams come true." He looked around at them. Eliza put a hand on Edmund's shoulder as Coriakin looked at them. "It seeks to corrupt all goodness, to steal the light from this world."

"How do we stop it?" Lucy asked.

"You must break its spell, that sword you carry –" He pointed to Edmunds sword. "There are six others…"

"You've seen them?" Edmund asked.

"Yes."

"Have the Six Lords passed through here?" Caspian asked.

"Indeed." Coriakin said.

"Where are they headed?" Eliza asked.

"Where I sent them." Coriakin said as the map showed them an island. "To break the spell, you must follow the Blue Star to Rumandu's Island. There the seven swords must be laid at Aslan's table, only then can their true magical power be released. But beware; you are all about to be tested."

"Tested?" Lucy said.

Coriakin walked over to her. "Until you lay down the Seventh sword Evil has the upper hand. It will do everything in its power to tempt you." He leaned closer to Lucy. "Be strong." He then walked away from her. "Don't fall into temptation." He looked to Caspian. "To defeat the Darkness out there – you must defeat the darkness within."

They all shuffled uncomfortably before filing out of the house again. Eliza did everything she could to take in as many details as she possible could.

This was one island she knew she was going to miss.


	19. Chapter 19: Stormy Weather

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has alerted this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

You guys are awesome, by the way, when I check my reviews you all have given me the most reviews EVER for a story that is still at 18 chapters... Usually I have to fight for half of the reviews you all have given me, so thank you so much!

I apologize for this short chapter, I have been on a Walking Dead writing spree... and I have been unable to write anything BUT Walking Dead -_-'

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Caspian watched Eliza as she had an almost dreamy smile as she watched the island shrink into the distance. "I told you it was magic." She said as she looked up at him.

He smiled gently. "You did."

Drinian joined them. "A storm is on the Horizon." He informed them.

They nodded and watched as they day wore on.

That night the storm hit. Eliza was running about, stumbling and spluttering as she tried to help tie things down. "My Lady! You must go down below!" Rhince yelled over the waves.

They both coughed when a wave crashed over them. "I am fine!" She yelled back.

Caspian was being tossed about; the only thing keeping him aboard was the Life-Line. He ran over to Eliza and grabbed her by the shoulders. "The men have this!" He said. "We have to go down below!"

"We're fine!" She said loudly.

He shook his head. "We're in the way!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and together they fought their way to get to safety. She nodded as they ran into Drinian's office.

Someone handed them towels and they grabbed them thankfully before sitting on the window-seat. Caspian kept an arm around her as they watched the waves. Edmund watched them with a smirk on his face. "This whole time you were here?" Eliza asked.

He shrugged and watched them some more as they dried off. Once they had calmed down he began to speak. "So, we're stuck here –" He looked at the map. "With half the rations of food and water… this is your last chance to turn back your majesty." Caspian looked around ad Drinian continued to speak about how they wouldn't find the blue star. "The men are getting nervous." Drinian said. "These are seas we have never seen the like of!"

Caspian looked at Eliza before he looked at Drinian again as he got up. "How do you suggest we tell Rhince that we've given up looking for his family?"

"Then let me get back to work." Drinian said. He grabbed his coat. "Just a warnin' the sea can play nasty tricks on the crews' mind." He said. "Very nasty."

Edmund looked at them as Eliza got up; Caspian put an arm around her before pressing his lips to her forehead. "What now?" She asked.

"You should get back to Lucy and Gael." Caspian said. "Watch over them."

She nodded gently as she pulled away from him.

Edmund was snickering; she punched him in the arm before she left. She walked into Caspian's private quarters where she was staying with Lucy and Gael. She made a makeshift bed on the ground and changed into a nightgown. She watched Gael and Lucy sleep before she drifted off into a sleep full of nightmares.

In her dreams she was trapped in an endless loop of watching her death over and over. Sometimes in her own eyes, sometimes in the eyes of her killer, she woke up with a gasp when she heard a roar somewhere in the back of her mind.

Lucy sat up and she looked trouble. "Elly." She said tearfully.

"You too?" She asked quietly. "Come on." She said quietly as they silently made their way to where Edmund and Caspian were sleeping. Edmund looked at them as they walked in.

"Let me guess… bad dreams?" Edmund said.

They nodded.

Caspian sat up with a strangled cry.

"I don't know if we're going mad… or someone is messing with out minds." Edmund said as he fell back, his sister crawled into the hammock with him. Caspian beckoned for Eliza and bashfully she let him pull her to join him. The four sat there in silence as they listened to the storm wage on. The siblings fell asleep again; Eliza was gently playing with the strings of his shirt. "What did you dream about?" She asked quietly.

"My father." He said gently. "What about you?"

"I kept seeing my death." She whispered. He took her hand in his as he kissed the inside of her wrist. She closed her eyes as she let out a quiet sigh.

"Eliza?" He said gently.

"Hmm?" She hummed quietly in the gloom.

"If you could stay…" He said into her hair. "Would you?"

She nodded. "If I am allowed… yes, I would."

"Would you stay with me?" He asked.

She looked up at him. "Who else would I stay with?" She said gently as she reached up to gently caress his jaw.

"I mean…" He said gently. "As my wife… my queen."

She was surprised. "Caspian…" She said gently. "I don't…"

He gently ran his thumb over her cheek. "Just say yes."

She laughed quietly, tears springing in her eyes. She had never been so happy before. "Caspian…"

He smiled. "Will you not say yes?"

She threw her arms around his neck, making the hammock to sway wildly. "Yes." She whispered. "I love you." He kissed her shoulder with a smile.

The following morning the storm had passed, they saw an island in the distance. It looked barren, with a smoking volcano in the center.

Drinian looked at them. "The island seems to be inhabited."

Eliza slid her hand into Caspian's. "It might be where one of the lords passed." She offered. She then spotted something. "Over there – those look like they are the remains of a ship."

"We shall go ashore." Caspian said. "And investigate."

Drinian nodded. "Prepare to disembark."


	20. Chapter 20: The Island with the Water

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has followed this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

Again I apologize for yet another short chapter, I imagine there will be this one, the next one, and an Epilogue and then this story will be officially over... I will save my goodbyes until then X-D

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Eliza stepped out of the boat as she looked around at the island clouds of mist drifted about here and they we she looked at the jagged mountains all round them. She grabbed a basket from Rhince before she put it down. She then left to go explore with Lucy, Caspian, and Edmund.

They ventured forward through rough terrain until they came upon a rope that went down a crevice. "Looks like someone has been here before us." Caspian said.

"A Lord?" Edmund asked.

"Possibly." Caspian replied.

"We'll know when we climb down." Eliza said. Climbed down first, the others soon followed her. They saw a massive cavern with a pool in the middle. Slowly they walked around it only to pause and see something in the water, it gleamed like gold.

"What's that?" Caspian asked.

"Dunno, looks like some sort of gold statue…" He tore out a root from the walls and then he stuck it in the water to prod the statue, they all watched in awe as the root turned to gold, Edmund dropped it before it got to his hand, the gold root sunk in the water.

"He must have fallen in." Caspian said as they watched the man.

"Poor man…" Lucy said.

"You mean poor Lord." Edmund said.

"The Crest of Lord Restimar." Caspian said.

"Look, his sword." Eliza said. "Narnian magic must be protecting it from the power of this pool…" Edmund drew his sword as he pulled out the sword.

"He must have not known what hit him…" Lucy said gently.

"Maybe." Edmund said. "Or maybe he was on to something." He picked up a shell as he crouched down beside the pool.

"What are you talking about?" Caspian asked as they watched him dip the shell in, he quickly pulled it out and put it on the ground as it turned to solid gold. He picked it up again and studied it in awe.

"What are you staring at?" Lucy asked.

"Whoever has access to this pool can be the most powerful person in the world." Edmund said. "Lucy, we'd be so rich – no one would tell us what to do – or who to live with."

Eliza glanced worriedly at Caspian as they looked at Edmund.

"Edmund, you can't take anything out of Narnia." Caspian said darkly.

"Says who?"

"I do."

Edmund got up angrily. "I'm not your subject!"

"You've been waiting for this haven't you?" Caspian said. "To challenge me, you doubt my leadership."

"You doubt yourself!" Edmund all but yelled.

"You are but a child!" Caspian said.

"And you are a spineless sap!" Edmund countered.

Lucy and Eliza tried to stop a fight but they stopped them from getting close to them, Eliza lingered behind Edmund, and when Caspian shoved him back Eliza stumbled back – she was too close to the edge. "ELIZA!" Lucy yelled as she scrambled over to her, Eliza looked shocked as she fell back into the pool. "NO!" Lucy shrieked.

Edmund and Caspian snapped out of whatever had come over them as they ran to the edge, Edmund pulled out his torch as he turned it on and flashed it into the pool, they saw Eliza there in the bottom of the pool beside Lord Restimar, her face frozen in a shocked expression, it was like an eerie golden statue that had been too well done of her. Even the crinkles in her forehead were prominent.

"I did this…" Caspian said quietly. "I shoved you – and you bumped into her – If I hadn't…"

"It was like Coriakin warned us." Lucy said as tears rolled down her face. "You fell into temptation and look what happened!"

Both boys looked shocked as they stared down at Eliza. On Caspian's face the guilt was too much to bear. "We have to keep going on." He said finally, his voice was thick – like he was trying to stop himself from crying. "Th-There is nothing we can do here."

"We can't just leave her." Lucy said. "We can't!"

"And we can't pull her out easily." Edmund said quietly. "Everything would turn to gold."

Caspian furiously wiped at his eyes. "We will figure out a way to fix this." He promised her. They got up, he put his hand to the pendant before they left.

She never knew you could be trapped in your mind even when you had been turned to gold, she could see her friends leaving but with great reluctance, it warmed her heart. She didn't know how long she lingered there as time ceased to matter in her state, it felt like she had been trapped there for ages, maybe eons, she didn't know.

'Eliza' a voice said, it was warm like the summer sun, and welcoming like going home.

'Aslan.' She thought, if she could she would have cried. 'What have I gotten myself into, Aslan?' She thought. She could see the Lion on the bank of the pool, he opened his jaws and everything became warm around her, it was not too long before she succumbed to the darkness.

When she woke up she was curled up on the rocky bank, Aslan stood beside her as she sat up slowly, tears flowed freely from her eyes. "Aslan!" She cried out.

"Yes, it is I, dear one." He said.

She looked down at herself. "I am not gold…" She said gently.

"Yes, dear one, I have saved you." He said. "And I have a mission for you."

"A mission?" She said quietly.

"To prevent further temptation on this land, you must fine a way to remove the curse upon this pool." He said.

"How?" She asked.

"You will figure it out, Dear One." He said.

She woke up with a gasp. "ASLAN!" She cried out and then she looked around. "It was just a dream." She gasped out; she was on the stone ground of the cavern. "I'm not gold anymore." She said quietly. She curled up on her side. 'How long have I been here?' She wondered. 'Aslan, am I to really find the cure for this pool?' She wondered.

Something in the back of her mind told her that it was her duty.

With a groan she pushed herself off the ground she dusted herself off and then she grabbed her sword. Green mist swirled around her ankles. "Get away from me!" She yelled as she ran from it, she hastily climbed up the rope and the mist followed her she wouldn't let it get her.

She blinked in the blazing sunlight as the mist vanished in the light. She looked behind her and she ran ahead as it suddenly appeared once more. 'A cure, what sort of cure?' She thought as she raced away from it. The mist materialized into a green version of Blackheart, he chased after her as she followed her own legs, Aslan said she would know where to go, she assumed if she didn't think too much her feet would know where to take her.

She continued to force her burning legs to pump on as she raced ahead of the green mist, she guessed because it was just her on the Island now it would focus solely on her. She felt terror rip through her heart as she raced to the Volcano. She hesitated a bit before she ran to the foot of the volcano; she saw it was a very steep mountain so she began to scale is, the mist seemed to have vanished once more.

She climbed up the side of the mountain, her hands finding places for her to pull herself off, many times she slipped and faltered but she refused to stop. Night had begun to fall when she finally reached the mouth of the volcano, when she peered inside she saw the lava moving like mercury, sluggishly and slowly, there was a path going down it. Stairs of sorts, she eased herself inside the heat was stifling; she could feel her cheeks burn.

Aslan had given her one task to complete, to end the power of the temptation of the pool; maybe the mist would leave her alone if she did. Slowly she began to walk down the path, she tore off her sleeves as she continued on, she found a tunnel in the side of the inside of the volcano, she walked into it and slowly she followed it. She that she had ended up back in the Cavern the mist seemed to increase and was now closing in around her; she looked around her in terror. 'Aslan.' She thought. 'How do I get out of this?'

She stepped back; the mist was trying to push her into the pool once more. Her foot was too close to the edge, she suddenly felt the urge to jump in – but she had just gotten out of that state. She drew her sword as the mist-Blackheart brought down his own on hers; she let out a surprised gasp when their blade locked. 'I can fight them?' She wondered. Her eyes widened. 'The Mist becomes the thing we fear.' She looked at Blackheart who looked just as shocked as she did. 'I am not afraid of him, not anymore.' She thought as she engaged him.

Just like in real life he stabbed her in the same exact spots, except now she was not afraid… No, she welcomed whatever welcomed her next.


	21. Chapter 21: Choices

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

I would like to thank you reviewers and everyone who has followed this story and/or favorited it. You all make me want to update sooner. =]

* * *

Caspian stood in his armor on deck, Lucy stood beside him and they were all somber, and they were waiting for whatever was in that darkness ahead. Eustace, who had been turned into a dragon, flew above them with Reepicheep who seemed to be the only person to want to try and understand the boy.

Caspian felt he had to say something to his crew to help them keep their vigilance. "Whatever happens here," He started. "Every soul who stands here before me has earned their place in the crew of the Dawn Treader. Together we have travelled far; together we have faced adversity; together we can do it again – so now is not the time to fall to fierce temptations, be strong, and never give in – our world… Or Narnian lives depend on it – think of the lost souls we are here to save… Think of Aslan… Think of Narnia…" He frowned as he made his way to join the others, the one face that meant the most to him was not amongst the crew and it made his heart heavy, heavier than it was when she had to leave the first time.

He paused when he heard the men cry out. "FOR NARNIA!"

He looked up as everyone else chorused; Lucy's voice was the most distinguishable voice amongst everyone else's. He had hope; maybe they would pull through this.

On a sandy beach a young woman was lying there in the sand, it was not known if she was dead or alive. A lion padded towards her slowly. "Wake up, Dear One."

She stirred and then she slowly sat up. She patted her body gently. "I am alive." She said as she looked at the Lion. "A-Aslan…" She said quietly.

She sat up and turned around when she saw what seemed to be Waves going up to the sky, slowly she got up and walked over to them, her eyes wide in awe as she stepped in the water, she stuck her hands out and ran her fingers through the waves as they went upwards. 'How curious.' She thought.

She let out a gasp when a Dragon came crashing onto the beach not too far from her, she gathered the skirt of the plain white dress she was wearing before she ran to the Dragon, she often stumbled as he legs seemed to be weak, she felt like a little foal – just like what Orius used to call her.

"No Eliza." Aslan said.

She stopped. "But he is hurt."

"Stand beside me." Aslan said.

She got up and her eyes widened when she saw a dark mass in the distance. 'What is that?' She looked to the Dragon again, this time it tried to claw its skin off. Aslan seemed to help as he gently caressed the sand with his paw.

"Dear one." He said, she walked over to the boy in the sand.

"Eustace." She said gently. "He was the Dragon…"

"Your friends fight a battle in that dark mass over there." Aslan said.

Eliza frowned. "I must help them!"

"There is nothing you can do, Dear One." He said gently. "All you can do it wait."

She sat down as Eustace seemed to vanish, before long he was no longer there. "Aslan…" She said quietly. "Did I do it; did I remove the curse upon the pool?"

"Yes, Dear One." He said. "You fought your fear, and you were not tempted, and for that you have done what it was I asked of you."

"I am glad." She said quietly as she continued to watch the black mass before her. Before long the darkness vanished and Eliza found herself staring at nothing but the beautiful blue sea.

"It is done." He said."The Darkness is over Dear One…"

She pulled her knees to her chest; she didn't know how long she saw there until she saw a boat rowing towards the island.

"ELIZA!" Someone yelled out.

She got up. "Lucy!"

Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace raced to her. The Pevensie siblings hugged her tightly. "You're alive!"

She laughed gently as she kissed their heads. "I am, thanks to Aslan."

Lucy smiled up at her; she then looked up at Caspian who looked like he couldn't believe his eyes. "E-Eliza…?" He said.

She was about to say something but he raced to her and pulled her into his chest. She hugged him tightly.

"I am so sorry." He said. "It is my entire fault I –"

She gently placed her fingers on his lips as he fell silent. "What is done is done." She said with a smile.

He kissed her fingertips gently before she pulled them away.

She pulled away from him as she put an arm around Eustace's shoulders as they walked towards the waves. It was Eustace who noticed Aslan first. "Aslan!" Eustace said.

"Welcome children, you have done well, very well indeed… you have come far, and now your journey has come to an end." He said.

"Is this your country?" Lucy asked.

"No, my country lies beyond."

Caspian's arm wound tightly around Eliza's waist as he looked at the waves. "Is my father in your country?"

"You can only find that out for yourself, my child." Aslan said. "But you should know that if you continue there is no way to return…"

They all looked at Caspian as he walked away from Eliza; he walked to the waves and gently stuck his hand out. Eliza was afraid he would chose to leave. She wanted to stop him – but if he chose to leave… it would be his choice. He stopped and turned so he could look at her.

"Aren't you going?" Lucy asked.

"I imagine, my father wouldn't be very proud if I gave up what he died for – I spent too long wanting what was taken from me… and not what was given, I was given a Kingdom… people…" He walked to Aslan. "I promise to be a better King."

"You already are." Aslan said.

Caspian walked back to Eliza, she gently cupped his cheek as she smiled at him. "I'm sorry." He said.

She looked curious. "Why?"

"For wanting you to stay with me this whole time – and given the chance… I almost left you." He said as he gently took her hand in his.

She looked up at him. "Every one has a choice that must be made… I cannot make it for you." She said.

He kissed her forehead gently. Their attention was drawn to Reepicheep as he bowed before Aslan. "Excuse me you're Eminence, but ever since I can remember I have dreamed of seeing your country, I have had many wonderful adventures in this world, but nothing has dampened that yearning… I know I am hardly worthy – but with your permission I would gladly lay down my sword for the honor of seeing your country with my own eyes.

"My country was made for noble hearts such as yours… no matter how small their appearance may be."

"No one is more deserving." Caspian said.

"It's true." Edmund said with a bow. Reepicheep bowed back as Lucy made her way over to him, she sat down and studied him.

"May I?" She asked.

"I suppose just this once I –" He chuckled as she pulled him into a hug. "Goodbye Lucy."

Eustace walked forward to him, he was crying gently. "Don't cry." Reepicheep said.

"I don't understand." He sniffled. "Does that mean I can't see you anymore?"

"What a delightful puzzle you are." Reepicheep said. "And a true hero, it has been my honor to fight beside such a great warrior, and a true friend."

Eliza sat down. "Good luck on your journeys." She said gently. "May the sun always shine on your path."

The watched him run off into a small boat that was awaiting for him as he sailed up the waves and over it. Lucy had tears in her eyes. "I don't get it – if this is our last time…" She looked at Eliza.

"It is because, Dear One, Eliza has always been of this world." Aslan explained.

Eliza smiled sadly. "I'm sorry Lu."

"But I will always be watching over you… always." Aslan said.

Lucy nodded.

Eliza flinched as Aslan roared and a path opened for them. "Eliza." Aslan said, in your world you have died, and now you have the choice to stay here… or venture into my country."

"Stay here… with Caspian?" She asked slowly.

Aslan nodded gently. "Yes."

She looked at Caspian who smiled happily, she nodded and smiled brightly. "Of course I will stay here."

Caspian smiled as he grasped Eliza's hand before they stood with the children, his face became somber once more. "You are the closest thing I have to family." He said. "And that includes you, Eustace."

"Thank you." The boy said.

Lucy hugged Caspian tightly after Edmund hugged him. Edmund moved to Eliza and she hugged him tightly. "I love you, little brother." She said quietly.

He smiled up at her before he moved to bow to Aslan. Lucy tackled her next. "I wish we could have stayed longer to see you get married." Lucy said quietly.

Eliza smiled despite the tears in her eyes. "I love you Lucy… thank you for being my very first friend… from the very start."

Lucy smiled at her before Eustace moved over to Eliza. She hugged him. "Be good." She said. "I have a feeling I will be seeing you again someday."

He nodded and the three went through the water tunnel.

And just like that they were done. Eliza's hand found Caspian's again as they stared at the waves. He looked down at her. "It's time to go home." He said gently.

They bowed to Aslan before they left the island; they climbed into the boat as Caspian rowed them back to the Dawn Treader. The crew pulled them up and Drinian welcomed them. "Welcome back, my Lady." He said.

She smiled as Caspian put an arm around her before they went inside.


	22. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia, the C.S. Lewis foundation does, I just own my Original Characters, and whatever newness I add to the story.

This is it! The Epilogue, I had so much fun with this story, it brought out so many fuzzy feelings in me, and I want to thank every single one of you who has reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story, you guys all rock! As for now I bid you all farewell with this very last chapter of a Good Counsel...

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'We were married in Cair Paravel not too long after.' Her quill slid on the parchment paper gently as she wrote. Her writing was interrupted when Caspian walked in. "I found you!" He said.

"I was not hiding." She said lightly.

He gently pulled her up as he kissed the tip of her nose before he crouched down and pressed a kiss to her stomach. "Caspian." She said gently as she pulled him up. He stared down at her with a smile. "What?"

"You ran." He said. "You know I need you with me."

She looked at him dryly. "You know I hate the Calormens." She said.

"Ah, but I love you." He said.

She gave him a look.

"Please don't leave me alone with them." He pleaded.

She laughed gently. "Fine."

Eliza followed him out so that she could join him in the throne room.

Eliza became Caspian's Queen, she never was fond of the title despite everything, she preferred to give counsel as she always had ever since the first time she step foot into Narnia, sometimes it awed her when she thought about her time in Narnia, and her life with Caspian – someone she had hated at first just because of the name he bore. Yet she married him, and three years after their happy marriage she bore him a son and heir, Rilian,

It was said that Eustace returned once in the years to come, and that Caspian and Eliza lived long happy lives together, and then they found that they were both close to Death's door they had someone take them to the end of the world where they finally found rest in Aslan's country.

It was rumored that when they entered the country they became young once more, and they were reunited with their friends who lingered there – and had many adventures… Those were mere rumors, it was much later they found several leather-bound books, all of which were written in Eliza's hand, chronicling the events in Narnia as she saw them, one had an intimate look into the life of Eliza, she had written a journal where she wrote everything, it was said that one was given to Rilian where he kept it hidden away from the world. After reading them everyone knew for a fact Eliza would always give counsel to those with her when they needed it.


End file.
